Speaking in his office, Mitsotakis praised the two countries' bilateral relationship.

“We've done a lot, we're going to do even more, in terms of our level of cooperation,” Mitsotakis said. “I'm also particularly happy that the UAE will be the country of honor in the most important Thessaloniki fair, which is going to take place in a month from now.”

Sheikh Mohammed hailed progress in bilateral relations between the two states and said the relationship was “very important.”

“I'm very glad that in the last two years our progress has progressed very well and we are in an area that we can build even more. We have a very strong base to build on,” he said.

Sheikh Mohammed, 61, was appointed his autocratic nation's president in May following the death of his half-brother and the UAE's former President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.