The defense ministers of Turkey and Greece, Hulusi Akar and Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, were able to talk on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO military heads in Brussels, Turkish Anadolu news agency reported.

"During the meeting, the importance of keeping communication channels open to solve existing problems and continuing dialogue to reduce tensions was stressed," the agency noted.

Earlier, Greek Socialist Pasok Party leader Nikos Androulakis criticized NATO head Jens Stoltenberg after he called the new round of tensions between Greece and Turkey "discord" and called for dialogue between the two countries.

According to the politician, Stoltenberg cannot be Erdogan's ambassador and NATO secretary-general at the same time.

Tensions between Ankara and Athens have recently escalated, especially after Turkish President Recep Erdogan warned Greeks that Turkey would not give up its rights in the Aegean Sea.