Greek Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias met with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Undersecretary for Defense Policy Elbridge Colby in Washington, on Tuesday, Feb. 3. The discussions focused on Greece’s positions regarding broader regional issues, including the Middle East, North Africa, and the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as the ongoing reform of the Greek Armed Forces under the “Agenda 2030” initiative, aimed at enabling Greece to effectively confront contemporary strategic challenges.
“I addressed a series of agreements we have signed with the United States, including the F-35 procurement contract, and how these agreements will be implemented in the best interest of the Greek Armed Forces,” Dendias noted.
During his meeting with Secretary Hegseth, the Greek minister extended an invitation for an official visit to Greece, which Hegseth accepted. The two sides highlighted the excellent defense cooperation between the countries, both bilaterally and within NATO, and explored opportunities to deepen collaboration in defense innovation and the defense industry.
Dendias also met with Undersecretary Colby, with whom he engaged in extensive discussions on U.S.-Greece defense cooperation. The meeting included U.S. Assistant Secretary Daniel Zimmerman and Greece’s National Security Secretary Thanos Dokos. Earlier in the day, Dendias participated in the “Delphi Economic Forum Washington D.C. VII.”
At the Delphi Forum, Dendias joined a discussion with Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies on regional and global defense issues, and took part in a roundtable on “Defense at a Crossroads,” emphasizing Greece’s strategic role in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In addition to his official meetings, Dendias visited the offices of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), where he spoke with Executive Director Arne Christenson and board members about security challenges in the broader Eastern Mediterranean region.
The minister also met with Senator Jerry Moran at the Senate offices to discuss strengthening Greek-American relations and visited Congressman Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to exchange views on defense ties and prospects for further collaboration.
