The President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos welcomed US President Barack Obama at the Presidential Palace. Pavlopoulos expressed his gratitude to President Obama for the solidarity on the humanitarian crisis, adding his belief that President-elect Donald Trump would continue on a similar path. Commenting on the Cypriot problem, Pavlopoulos underlined that a fast solution was necessary based on international law. He added that challenging the Lausanne Treaty was unacceptable, referring to recent provocative statements by the Turkish leader Recep Erdogan. On his part, President Obama thanked President Pavlopoulos and the Greek people on their hospitality and partnership. Her reiterated the strong ties between the two countries, adding the need for a collaborative effort by all on the refugee crisis. He underlined his commitment to offering assistance to Greece on the economic crisis, adding, however, that more work lay ahead on the economic front in order for Greece to exit the current crisis. Barack Obama underscored the significance of a united and stable EU for for the global economy and security.