U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Greece a "very important ally" of the United States ahead of his upcoming vis...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Greece a "very important ally" of the United States ahead of his upcoming visit to Athens, pointing to both the military and economic dimensions of the relationship. Rubio made the remarks while answering a question about his European tour, which includes stops in Greece and Portugal. He noted that the U.S. not only has a military presence in Greece but also strong economic ties, describing the visit as an opportunity to meet with Greek officials in person. The Athens leg of his trip centers on the 6th U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue, which Rubio will lead on behalf of the American side. According to the State Department, the talks will focus on deepening cooperation across key priorities including defense, regional security, and energy security. Rubio also briefly addressed his Portugal stop, calling it a strong U.S. ally and framing that visit in similar terms as an opportunity for direct engagement. The Strategic Dialogue comes at a moment when Greece's role in Eastern Mediterranean security has taken on growing importance for Washington, with U.S. military assets based at Souda Bay in Crete serving as a critical hub for regional operations. #Greece #USGreece #StrategicDialogue