July 19 () –
The Secretary of Defense of the United States, Lloyd Austin, held a conversation this Monday with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, in order to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in defense matters.
Specifically, Austin and Panagiotopoulos have agreed on the sale of F-35 fighters to Greece, a milestone that the Greek minister has described as “an important step” for the Greek country’s deterrence in the face of external threats. The exact number of fighters in this sale operation has not transpired.
Likewise, both defense ministers have discussed the need to modernize the defense of each country, as well as the collective, underlining the importance of doing so in the face of the threat posed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a statement from the US Department of Defense.
“A new milestone of this strategic partnership is undoubtedly the acquisition by Greece of the latest generation F-35 fighter, an important step for our deterrence and even closer interaction, coordination and interoperability between the Armed Forces of Greece and the United States. States,” Panagiotopoulos said, according to the letter.
Austin, for his part, thanked Greece for hosting the military facility in Souda Bay, which is “a cornerstone” of the two countries’ defense relationship. Likewise, he has also highlighted joint cooperation in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.
In this sense, the leaders have also discussed the need to reduce tensions in the Aegean through “constructive dialogue”, alleging the increase in tensions between Turkey and Greece over energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean.
“The defense relationship between the United States and Greece has never been stronger. The updated Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United States and Greece reflects our nations’ unwavering commitment to shared peace and security,” said Secretary of State American defense.
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