The two Defense Ministers focused on the military cooperation between Greece and the US, but also on regional issues, such as the war in Ukraine, and discussed the growing defense partnership between the US and Greece and the close cooperation between the two countries for collective defense. especially in relation to Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine.
of Penelope Galliou
The excellent relations between Greece and the USA were sealed by the Ministers of Defense of the two countries, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Lloyd Austin, during their meeting at the American Pentagon, sending a joint message to Turkey to abandon the provocation in the Aegean and continuing contacts aimed at deepening military cooperation. Greece and the USA as well as the increase of joint actions between the Armed Forces of the two countries.
The two Defense Ministers focused on the military cooperation between Greece and the US, but also on regional issues, such as the war in Ukraine, and discussed the growing defense partnership between the US and Greece and the close cooperation between the two countries for collective defense. especially in relation to Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine.
The American Minister thanked his Greek counterpart “for Greece’s substantial support to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion”, while the focus was on Greece’s strategic role in the wider Mediterranean and Southeast Europe, with the American Minister of Defense to express his appreciation to his Greek counterpart regarding the hosting of Greece at the American bases in Souda and in other Greek cities and to underline the importance of the port of Alexandroupoli which is now a hub for the transfer of forces and US equipment to and through NATO’s Eastern Flank.
Turkish provocation and the need to reduce tension in the Aegean through constructive dialogue were inevitably at the center of the discussions between the two politicians.
Lloyd Austin even announced that he would speak by phone with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in the coming days and urged the two sides to “explore pragmatic solutions to long-standing differences.”
Finally, the US minister thanked Greece for exceeding the 2% of GDP limit on defense spending and force modernization, as requested by NATO, which will enhance interoperability between the two militaries.
I met today w/ Greek 🇬🇷 MoD Panagiotopoulos to discuss efforts to support Ukraine. I told the Minister that the US appreciates our bilateral defense cooperation, including US use of bases in Greece. We also discussed efforts to maintain stability in the Aegean. #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/NRJixXB9x7
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) July 19, 2022
Greek-Turkish relations are at the forefront of Greek contacts
Two months after the Greek Prime Minister’s trip to the USA and the important contacts with the American political leadership, Greek-Turkish relations are still being recorded at the peak of Greek-American contacts and meetings.
An issue that will occupy the agenda of the Greek Minister and in the rest of the contacts he has with American officials and actors, as despite the Turkish backslidings and the ups and downs of Ankara’s provocations, the Turkish provocation is still present.
Indeed, in the shadow of the vote by the American House of Representatives to ban the modernization and sale of F-16s to Turkey if it is not ensured that they will not be used for overflights over Greek territory, Ankara is looking for ways to maneuver against the American decision, without so far he has succeeded.
The question in any case is whether, under these circumstances, Turkey will accept these conditions, or will Turkey look for alternatives, turning its eyes elsewhere, as it did with the supply of the Russian S400 missile systems. However, experts and analysts estimate that under the current conditions inside Turkey, where Tayyip ErdoÄŸan is looking for nationalistic narratives, strengthening the Turkish morale, it is not easy to accept the conditions set by the USA for the purchase or upgrade of the Turkish F16s, and many I argue when it is considered that this decision was “dictated” by the Greek-American lobby and it is a clear “victory” of the Greek side over Turkish provocation.
This Turkish concern is further intensified by Greece’s armament program for F35 fighter jets, which is also at the center of Nikos Panagiotopoulos’ contacts in the US.
The perspective and possibilities of further deepening the military cooperation between Greece and the USA, the increase in the frequency and duration of joint actions between the Armed Forces of the two countries, as well as the strengthening of our country from the reserves of US defense material using all of the available tools for the acquisition and financing of the respective programs, were also discussed during the meeting held in the American capital by the Chief of the GEETHA, Konstantinos Floros, with his US counterpart, General Mark A. Milley, following his official invitation, on the basis of which the visit to the USA.
The two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest with particular emphasis on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the parameters of its war effort, its consequences for the defense and security of the Euro-Atlantic area, the measures taken by the Alliance to strengthen its Eastern Wing and the increase of its deterrent capacity, as well as in the role of Souda and Alexandroupolis to serve the development and deployment of forces, means and material.
While Mr. Floros pointed out to his counterpart the importance of the challenges facing Greece due to the serious revisionist tendencies that are developing in the region.
Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, together with the Deputy Minister of National Defense, Nikos Hardalia, the Chief of the GEETHA, General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of the GEA, Vice Admiral Themistocles Bourolias, and the US Ambassador, George Tsunis, will go to the 115th Fighter Wing in order to participate in the day Distinguished Visitors in the framework of the Greece-USA Bilateral Interdisciplinary Co-education “POSEIDON’S RAGE 22”.
As part of the visit, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is expected to visit the static display of F-35 fighters, a vessel of the US Coast Guard. which participates in the exercise and, finally, the headquarters of the Naval Deterrence Training Center (KENAP)
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