Μake us preferred on Google US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has praised the work of US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, highlighting her role in advancing the Trump administration’s agenda in Greece and across Europe just days before his scheduled arrival in Athens.
In a statement shared on social media by the US Embassy in Athens, Rubio stated: “Ambassador Guilfoyle has proven to be extremely effective in advancing the President’s agenda in Greece and across Europe.”
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“President Trump and I greatly value the Ambassador’s decisive work and leadership role in the region,” he added.
Rubio also credited Guilfoyle with advancing US energy interests in Greece and southeastern Europe, saying she “has made significant contributions to advancing American energy interests in Greece and throughout southeastern Europe, through regional projects such as the Vertical Energy Corridor, which enjoys bipartisan support.”
The statement comes ahead of Rubio’s first visit to Greece as secretary of state. He is scheduled to arrive in Athens on the evening of Oct. 6 and depart the following morning after meetings with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and other senior Greek officials.
Rubio’s wider European trip will run from Oct. 5-8, taking him to Reykjavík, Athens and Lisbon. In Athens, he will lead the US delegation at the sixth Greece-US Strategic Dialogue, with defense, energy and regional security expected to be central issues.
The Strategic Dialogue, established in 2018, is expected to cover defense and security, trade and investment, energy and the environment, counterterrorism, civil protection and regional cooperation. The broader relationship between Athens and Washington has expanded beyond traditional defense cooperation, with Greece increasingly presenting itself as an energy-security hub for southeastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.
Energy is expected to be a particularly prominent element of the Athens discussions. The Vertical Energy Corridor, which Rubio singled out in his statement, is part of wider efforts to strengthen regional energy connectivity and facilitate the movement of US liquefied natural gas into southeastern Europe. According to reports, the Great Sea Interconnector, the planned undersea electricity link connecting Greece, Cyprus and Israel, is expected to feature in the broader energy discussions.
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Regional security will also form part of the agenda, including developments in the eastern Mediterranean and Greece’s concerns over Turkey’s positions on maritime jurisdiction and regional energy projects. The sixth Strategic Dialogue comes amid efforts by Athens and Washington to deepen their strategic relationship at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions in the region.
File photo: Greek FM George Gerapetritis, left, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio’s visit follows months of contacts between the two governments. He and FM Gerapetritis discussed preparations for the Strategic Dialogue in August, while US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker visited Athens in September as part of preparations for the secretary of state’s trip.
Rubio’s first stop will be Reykjavík, where he is scheduled to meet Icelandic officials on economic and security cooperation. After Athens, he will travel to Lisbon for meetings with Portuguese officials on defense, economic and technology cooperation.
