Mitsotakis meets Biden armed with Greece’s credibility, geography and alliances
The Greek prime minister met with US President Joe Biden at the White House yesterday armed with Greece’s steadily growing credibility over the last decade and the advantages of the country’s geographical position and regional alliances.
His, and every Greek leader’s, only and indisputably reasonable demand is the recognition of Greece’s contribution and, by extension, some assurances from the leading power of the transatlantic Alliance of security from external threats, regardless of where they stem from.
Greece is a predictable – yes, predictable – partner the US can count on; a country that is a stable member of NATO, which more than fulfills its responsibilities as such, and which is always on the “right side” of history, no matter what the crisis. The Greek premier outlined the country’s clear position on the matter of Russia’s war on Ukraine – manifested in both words and concrete actions – while there is also the special bond resulting from the presence of a sizable ethnic Greek community in areas that have been particularly badly hit.
And of course there are the deepening Greek-US defense ties, as confirmed by the recent ratification of the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement and the ongoing upgrade program for Greece’s F-16 fighter jets, while the prospect of Greek participation in the F-35 program is also under discussion.
Within the broader context of geostrategic cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece is developing into an energy hub thanks to the ongoing upgrade of the Alexandroupoli port, as well as through the tripartite partnership with Israel and Cyprus, which is supported by the US (3+1) and is clearly not aimed at any other country in the region.
And then there is Turkey’s aggressive behavior. Greece plays a positive and useful role for the US and the West in the area, but is being subjected to consistently aggressive behavior from its NATO ally, whose words and actions pose a threat not only to Greece but also to the stability of the Alliance’s southeastern flank, while undermining the West’s role and status in an exceptionally sensitive part of the world.
The Americans will form their own opinion of Ankara’s overall stance toward the Alliance and also toward the Ukraine war.
That said, actions like unauthorized flights with American-made F-16s – which Turkey now wants to upgrade – over the Greek islands do little to serve the “gentleman’s agreement” ostensibly reached between Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the former’s recent trip to Istanbul. The last thing NATO needs right now is an “unfortunate incident” between two of its members.