MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2023) Washington and Athens have been strengthening their relations since 2021, and Greece has become a "strategic hub" in the region for expanding US military units and for NATO allies, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.
The ministerial meeting was held in the framework of the Fourth US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, while the Third US-Greece Strategic Dialogue took place in October 2021 in Washington.
"One of the new sites supports military transport around the Port of Alexandroupoli, which has become, indeed, a key strategic hub, including bringing in defensive weaponry, trucks, artillery for U.S. military units that are operating in Eastern and Northern Europe, as well as NATO Allies," Blinken said at a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.
The US official also said that an additional $123 million was invested in Greek infrastructure in the Souda Bay naval base and the Larissa air base.
"This port (of Alexandroupoli) has been vital to reinforcing NATO's eastern flank since President Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. The United States is grateful for Greece's unwavering support for Ukraine since the invasion," the state secretary said.
Dendias, in turn, praised the fruitful partnership between the two countries.
"The fact is that, in the middle of all this, the strong Greek-U.S. cooperation has been enhanced even further. That speaks volumes for our relation. The strengthening of this cooperation promotes our mutual interest, as well as regional peace, stability, and prosperity," he said.
The Greek minister added that Athens and Washington share common values and both respect international law.
"The Fourth Strategic Dialogue is a culmination of a series of working group meetings and initiatives of our experts from various ministries. There has been progress in all the Strategic Dialogue subjects: defense and security; law enforcement and counterterrorism; humanitarian challenges; trade, investment; energy and environment; and last, but certainly not least, people-to-people contacts," he said.
Blinken is conducting his European trip from February 16-22. Later in the day, he will meet with the leader of the Greek opposition and former prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, and open a new building in the grounds of the US Embassy in Athens.
