Gerapetritis: The Greek-American partnership has never been stronger, deeper or more cohesive

Giorgos Gerapetritis referred to the importance of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Greece, highlighting the importance of Greek-American relations and the steady expansion of cooperation between the two countries. “The visit demonstrates the relationship between our two countries and the importance that both countries attach to the future. This requires a positive dialogue,” he said.

As he noted, since 2017 cooperation between Greece and the United States has steadily grown, while the two sides are also cooperating in areas such as defense, infrastructure, digital technology and law enforcement, maritime affairs, as well as at the level of close ties between the two peoples. “The three agreements being signed today are tangible proof of this progress,” he stressed.

Rubio’s remarks with Giorgos Gerapetritis

“I am particularly happy to be in Greece. This is my first trip to the country, as I did not have the opportunity to come here as a senator. I am very pleased to be here and to be part of the 6th Strategic Dialogue. I would like to begin by expressing the hope that our presence and work here underscore how important the historic alliance between Greece and the United States is. And this is particularly true now, at a time of global uncertainty, when there is the Russia-Ukraine war, whether we are talking about the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz, or the growing tensions in Yemen because of the Houthis.

“In a time of global instability, we need very important partners with whom we have a shared history, and that is what Greece means to the United States. This close partnership is evolving across many areas: joint security and defense, trade, investment, energy and cultural exchanges. Greece is an indispensable NATO ally, a pillar of stability in the region, and a pillar of stability for the U.S. presence in the region.

“So I would say that we will be able to announce initiatives. We are excited about the cooperation agreement between the Greek Armed Forces and the Florida National Guard, so that we can deepen our relations in the defense sphere.

“The Greece-U.S. economic declaration commits the two countries to working, as we do with other allies, to develop a secure energy supply chain, and this concerns critical minerals and their production. The energy relationship continues to expand and grow, and this is something being built through the Vertical Corridor, which has made Greece a secure energy hub and facilitated the increase of U.S. LNG exports to Europe.

“Bilateral relations are based not only on our shared history but also on close cultural and religious ties, as I will say later in a very historic speech, in a historic debt. We have a historic debt to Ancient Greece because it has shaped not only our country but the entire civilization. We are here to remember the past because it is the foundation of our shared relations, but at the same time to look to the future. I am happy to be making my first trip to Greece, and I hope it will not be my last.”

Today’s visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Athens begins at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with his meeting with his Greek counterpart, Giorgos Gerapetritis. Following their meeting, the two ministers will make statements.

Heightened security measures and road closures due to Rubio’s visit

Central Athens is under a heavy police presence today, Wednesday, October 7, due to the official visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with extensive traffic restrictions and particularly heightened security measures.

The measures will remain in effect until the morning hours of Thursday, October 8.

As no specific road-closure times have been announced, traffic interruptions will be carried out dynamically, depending on the movements of the U.S. secretary’s motorcade.

The messages Rubio will deliver from Athens today

Marco Rubio is turning Athens today into a broadcasting center for two clear messages. The first is addressed to the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe, where defense, energy routes and American interests are taking on ever greater weight. The second looks much farther afield: from the Pnyx, the U.S. secretary of state is expected to call on the United States and Europe to rediscover the “Western spirit” and jointly confront the new era of great-power competition.

Mitsotakis-Rubio meeting at the Maximos Mansion at 19:00

Immediately afterward, a private dinner will be held at the Tudor Hall restaurant of the King George hotel, overlooking the Acropolis.

What Marco Rubio will say at the Pnyx

Speaking to Breitbart, Deputy Secretary of State Dylan Johnson emphasized that the speech will focus on defending Western civilization, in a place of great symbolic significance.

“Secretary Rubio will deliver a speech from the birthplace of Western civilization, where he will call on both Americans and Europeans to unite in a great renewal of the Western spirit — a legacy extending from Athens and Rome, through Christianity, to the founding of the American Republic,” Johnson said.

American Hellenic Institute letter to Rubio: “No” to F-35s for Turkey, support Greece and Cyprus

The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the occasion of his visit to Athens and his participation in the 6th U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue, calling on Washington to take a clear position regarding Turkish actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The letter was signed by AHI President Nick Larigakis, who underscored the strategic importance of Greek-American relations and called on the U.S. government to reaffirm its support for Greece and the Republic of Cyprus on issues of sovereignty and sovereign rights.

Safe navigation on the Greece-U.S. agenda

The security of international shipping is being added to the agenda of Greece-U.S. talks during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Athens, at a time when geopolitical upheavals have made major maritime routes a matter of strategic importance for both Athens and Washington. The U.S. secretary will lead the American delegation at the 6th Greece-U.S. Strategic Dialogue, with the State Department officially placing defense cooperation, as well as regional and energy security, at the center of the discussions.

The agreements Marco Rubio will sign in Athens

The 6th Round of the Greece-U.S. Strategic Dialogue brings senior officials from the two countries to the same table.

The talks will cover everything from regional and international developments to defense, energy, shipping, security, technology, trade and investment, at a time of intense realignments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

The Mitsotakis-Rubio channel and the “depth” the Maximos Mansion sees in its relationship with the U.S. secretary of state

The prime minister considers it important and by no means accidental that the head of American diplomacy is not combining his visit to Athens with a corresponding visit to Ankara, even though relations between Washington and Ankara have warmed again.

In any case, Athens sees prospects and depth in its relationship with Mr. Rubio. Given that he wants to play a role in American affairs in the coming years as well, and has proven to be a reliable interlocutor for Athens, maintaining the channel at the highest possible level is crucial. Hence, Athens agreed to the American request for Mr. Rubio to deliver a speech at the Pnyx.

F-35s, F-16 Vipers and, in the background… the National Guard

The arrival of the U.S. secretary of state in Athens will mark the formalization of Athens’ acquisition of 20 fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, with an option for another 20, as protothema.gr reported, while the Strategic Dialogue sessions will further deepen cooperation in the field of Defense.

In this context, Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias will today attend, together with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the signing by Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff General Dimitrios Houpis and the commander of the Florida National Guard, Major General John Haas, of the Letter of Intent for cooperation between the Greek Armed Forces and the Florida National Guard.

Meanwhile, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff General Dimitris Houpis has already met with the Commander of the Florida National Guard, Major General John HAAS, on October 6, as part of his visit to Greece, preparing the groundwork for bilateral cooperation.

Nicole Malliotakis: Greece is one of America’s most reliable allies in NATO

Greek-American Republican Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis highlights the regional agenda of Rubio’s visit to Athens, writing on X that “Greece is one of America’s most reliable allies in NATO, and I welcome Secretary Rubio’s visit to Athens for the Sixth U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue. This is an opportunity to deepen our defense cooperation, including Greece’s acquisition of F-35s and U.S. military access to Souda Bay and Alexandroupoli.”

“It is also an opportunity to expand U.S. liquefied natural gas exports through Greece, helping Europe end its dependence on Russian energy. We should build on the 3+1 cooperation between the United States, Greece, Cyprus and Israel, which Secretary Rubio defended in the Senate. The United States must stand with its allies and make clear that Turkey must respect Greek sovereignty and refrain from threats and provocations. As a proud Greek-American, I know how deep the ties between our nations are, and strong cooperation makes both countries safer and more prosperous,” Ms. Malliotakis concluded.