Μake us preferred on Google Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Greece “an indispensable NATO partner” on Wednesday, saying the alliance between Athens and Washington matters more than ever at a time of war in Ukraine, turmoil in the Middle East and threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
Speaking in front of the cameras along with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis before the sixth round of the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue commenced, Rubio said he hoped the meeting would highlight “how critical the historic alliance between Greece and the United States is,” adding, “this is especially true now at a time of great global uncertainty.”
“At a time of extraordinary global tumult and global instability, we need anchor partners rooted in common history, and that is what Greece has meant for the United States,” he said. Greece, the US Secretary of State underlined, is “a pillar of stability in this region. It is a pillar of the U.S.’s presence in this region, and it is a pillar of how we secure our national interests.” He added that there was no area of either society that the relationship did not touch, and that Washington sought to build on all of them.
Florida National Guard and Critical Minerals
Rubio announced that Greece is joining the U.S. National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, paired with his home state of Florida, calling it “another milestone in our deepening defense relationship.” He also pointed to a U.S.-Greece Economic Security Declaration, which commits both countries to work with like-minded allies to develop secure supply chains, including for the production of critical minerals.
‘A Secure Energy Hub’
“Our energy relationship is reaching new heights and continues to expand and grow,” Rubio said. He cited the expansion of the Vertical Gas Corridor, a network of pipeline links designed to carry natural gas arriving in Greece north through the Balkans to Central and Eastern Europe. The project, he said, has established Greece as “a secure energy hub” and has “facilitated an increase in U.S. energy exports to Europe.”
Defense Ties ‘Never Been Stronger’
Welcoming Rubio, Gerapetritis said the dialogue, launched in 2018, had steadily broadened to cover defense, energy, infrastructure, digital technologies, law enforcement, maritime affairs and ties between the two peoples. He described the three agreements signed on Wednesday as evidence of that progress, saying the partnership “has never been stronger, deeper or more constructive.”
“We meet at a time of profound geopolitical change,” he said, citing the war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, threats to maritime security in the Red Sea and “revisionist rhetoric,” an apparent reference to Turkey. Greece, he said, remains “a reliable ally” and an anchor of stability in the eastern Mediterranean.
Gerapetritis noted that Greece is serving a 2025-26 term on the U.N. Security Council and is preparing to hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2027. Respect for international law, he said, is “a guiding principle” and “an essential condition for lasting peace.”
The Greek Foreign Minister underlined during his statement the significance of defense cooperation between the two countries and said it had reached unprecedented levels,. Collective security, he added, requires every ally to shoulder its responsibilities. Greece, Gerapetritis said, is committed to strengthening defense ties further, including through industrial partnerships and advanced technologies, as well as expanding cooperation on law enforcement and counterterrorism.
On energy, Gerapetritis said Greece is emerging as a vital hub for Southeastern and Central Europe, helping to diversify supplies and give its neighbors greater energy security through its infrastructure and its leading role in the Vertical Corridor. He added that the growing involvement of U.S. energy companies such as Chevron and ExxonMobil reflects American confidence in the Greek economy, while investments by leading U.S. technology companies in data centers and digital infrastructure are helping establish Greece as a regional center for innovation.
He also paid tribute to the Greek American community, whose achievements in business, science, public service and the arts, he said, are a source of pride for both nations. “Our alliance draws strength from all we have achieved together,” Gerapetritis said. “Its promise lies in what we choose to do next.”
Debt to Ancient Greece
Rubio said the relationship between the two countries is founded “not just in a common history, but in enduring ties of family, culture, religion, a shared heritage,” and that the United States is indebted to ancient Greece for its role in shaping not only the country but “frankly our civilization.”
“We’re here today to remember the past, because that’s the foundation on which our relationship is built, but also to focus on the future,” he said, adding that he was happy to be on his first visit to Greece, “but hopefully not my last.”
Later Wednesday, Rubio is to set to deliver an evening speech at the Pnyx, the hill in central Athens where the citizens’ assembly of ancient Athenian democracy once met. He is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
