The visit of US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to Athens was accompanied by a series of agreements and initiatives aimed at deepening the strategic partnership between Greece and the United States in the fields of defense, security, energy and culture.
At the center of the visit was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Greek Armed Forces and the Florida National Guard.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to Greek media, it paves the way for joint activities, exchange of expertise and expansion of cooperation on security and defense issues.
The US and Greece also announced a new memorandum of cooperation on counter-terrorism security, while reaffirming the implementation of the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, considered the main pillar of military relations between the two countries.
During the 6th Greece-US Strategic Dialogue, issues related to defense, energy security, regional stability, and cultural cooperation were discussed.
One of the most important developments of the visit was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Greek Armed Forces and the Florida National Guard.
The agreement was signed by the Chief of the General Staff of Greece, General Dimitrios Houpis, and the Commander of the Florida National Guard, John Haas, in the presence of the Greek Minister of Defense, Nikos Dendias, and Marco Rubio.
According to Dendias, the agreement opens a new chapter in the strategic cooperation between the two countries and gives an additional dimension to the reform of the Greek Armed Forces.
Cooperation with the Florida National Guard is expected to include joint activities, exchange of expertise, and coordination on issues of mutual interest, further strengthening the mosaic of Greek-American defense relations.
In their joint statements, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Rubio emphasized that Greece is a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and a key NATO ally.
Gerapetritis underlined that defense cooperation is at the highest level in the history of bilateral relations, citing the modernization of F-16 Viper aircraft and the future inclusion of F-35 aircraft in the Hellenic Air Force.
Çështjet energjetike zunë një vend të rëndësishëm në diskutime. Të dy palët vlerësuan rolin e Greqisë si nyje energjetike për Evropën Juglindore dhe Qendrore, veçanërisht përmes Korridorit Vertikal dhe transportit të gazit natyror të lëngshëm amerikan (LNG). Rubio nënvizoi se siguria energjetike është ngushtësisht e lidhur me sigurinë kombëtare dhe riafirmoi angazhimin amerikan për bashkëpunim me Greqinë në këtë sektor.
Në planin rajonal, Gerapetritis theksoi rolin aktiv të Greqisë në sigurinë detare dhe deklaroi se Athina është e gatshme të mbështesë operacione për garantimin e lirisë së lundrimit në Ngushticën e Hormuzit, nëse ekziston një proces i qëndrueshëm paqeje. Ai nënvizoi gjithashtu marrëdhëniet strategjike me Izraelin dhe rëndësinë e nismës 3+1 mes Greqisë, Qipros, SHBA-së dhe Izraelit.
Një tjetër rezultat i rëndësishëm ishte rinovimi i Memorandumit Kulturor Greqi-SHBA për mbrojtjen dhe kthimin e pasurive kulturore. Gjatë periudhës së zbatimit 2021-2026, në Greqi janë kthyer gjithsej 425 objekte kulturore, nga të cilat 98 janë rikthyer drejtpërdrejt në bazë të dispozitave të memorandumit.
