Greece, US renew mutual defense agreement; Mitsotakis refers to significant upgrade of ties

Greece and the United States on Thursday renewed a long-standing bilateral defense agreement for another five years, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Greek FM Nikos Dendias signing the pact in Washington.

The US will retain the right to use a handful of military facilities in Greece, with an amendment enacted to allow them to “remain in force” indefinitely, Blinken told a news briefing with Dendias by his side.

The importance attributed by Athens to the renewal comes weeks after a landmark mutual agreement was signed with France, itself accompanied by a deal to purchase state-of-the-art warships from a French shipyard. Greece has already finalized another deal to purchase Dassault-made Rafale fighter planes, with the first unit already in the country.

The Mitsotakis government’s decision to increase deterrence and seek defense cooperation in the wider region is a direct response to at least two years of heightened Turkish provocations, belligerence and saber-ratting in practically every region where it borders.

“We’re strengthening our defense cooperation today …This update will allow the agreement to remain in force indefinitely. And it enables our forces in Greece to train and operate from additional locations.”

On his part, Dendias said America’s commitment to the east Mediterranean country showed that both allies are firmly determined to mutually safeguard and protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other.

The agreement, formally known as the Mutual Defense & Cooperation Agreement (MDCA), was signed at the Benjamin Franklin diplomatic reception room in the Harry S. Truman Federal Building, within the US Department of State.

Dendias also referred to what he called a devotion by the United States in its alliance with Greece, while adding: “Greece is in the Mediterranean and faces a threat of war if it tries to exercise its sovereign rights,” a direct reference to neighboring Turkey.

In a later statement from Athens, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the signing of the five-year agreement “validates the quantitative and qualitative upgrading of Greek-American relations. At the same time, this comprises a very strong vote of confidence for our country as a pillar of stability and security in our troubled region.”

In a videotaped statement, the center-right Greek premier referred to successful achievement for the country and the foreign ministry.