Calling on Greece to abide by international law, Türkiye's Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday warned that otherwise Ankara "will do what is necessary."

Speaking in a joint press conference with his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu in the capital Ankara, Çavuşoğlu said: "Either Greece takes a step back and abides by agreements, or we will do what is necessary" referring to Greece's recent military drill on Aegean islands.

Also, criticizing Greece for militarizing Aegean islands close to the Turkish coastline that was demilitarized under longstanding treaties, the top diplomat said: "If Athens doesn't want peace, Ankara will do whatever is necessary."

Urging Greece to stop the illegal arming of Aegean islands with non-military status and to act in line with international agreements, he said: "Greece continues its provocations. We cannot remain silent."

Recently, Greece carried out a military drill on the Aegean island of Rhodes, just 84 kilometers (52 miles) from the Turkish coastal town of Fethiye in the Muğla province. Turkish officials insist the deployment of soldiers or weapons on some islands close to its coast violates their nonmilitary status according to international law.

Çavuşoğlu said continued violation of the treaties would open their sovereignty up to debate and force Türkiye to defend its rights.

"We will continue to take the necessary steps both legally within an international organization, especially the United Nations, and on the field," the minister said.

Çavuşoğlu said: "Greece should not forget this. Those who sow the wind reap the storm. If you do not want peace, we will do what is necessary."

Türkiye and Greece are at odds over several issues, including competing claims over jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean, overlapping claims over their continental shelves, maritime boundaries, airspace, energy, the ethnically split island of Cyprus, the status of the islands in the Aegean Sea and migrants.

Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, has complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are demilitarized under treaties, saying that such moves frustrate its good faith efforts for peace. Ankara accuses Athens of illegally militarizing Greek islands in the East Aegean and questions Greece’s sovereignty over them. There is also a dispute over the exploitation of mineral resources in the Aegean.

Turkish military drones recently recorded the deployment of Greek armored vehicles on the islands of Lesbos and Samos, which Ankara maintains violates international law. Following the incident, Ankara lodged a protest with the United States and Greece over the unlawful deployment of armored vehicles on Aegean islands with nonmilitary status.

Türkiye summoned the Greek ambassador and called for an end to violations on Aegean islands and restoring their nonmilitary status, according to the Foreign Ministry. In the note, the ministry stated that the deployment was another violation of Greece's obligations under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris. These islands were required to be demilitarized under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris, so any troops or weapons on the islands are strictly forbidden.

Also, Türkiye has ramped up the criticism of its NATO ally U.S. for abandoning a balanced policy and escalating tensions on the issues of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, reiterating that it will protect its rights and interests against the Greek side.

Despite saying that it has no intention of entering into an arms race with its neighbor and NATO ally Türkiye, Greece also continues to carry out an ambitious rearmament program for its armed forces. Greece's burgeoning arms program is designed to counter the protection of Turkish interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. Türkiye has often warned Greece against indulging in an arms race, offering to resolve all outstanding issues, including in the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and the island of Cyprus, through dialogue.