Greece’s key role at the epicenter
Mitsotakis and Biden discuss Ukraine, energy and Greek-Turkish relations at the White House
The upgrading of Greece’s geostrategic role in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans, which largely hinges on the deepening of the bilateral defense relationship between Greece and the US, was at the epicenter of talks on Monday at the White House between US President Joe Biden and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The focus was placed in particular on the energy sector and the role of Greece, which since the war started in Ukraine, has acquired additional value, as Europe gradually reduces its dependence on Russian gas.
Speaking at the Oval Office before the meeting, Biden noted that democratic ideals started in Greece and inspired the American
Founding Fathers, who, he stressed, were students of Greece. He also paid tribute to Mitsotakis’ “moral leadership.”
“Sadly, Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine is also a threat to democracy from autocrats who want to bear down on the rules-tested orders and rules-based orders. I want to thank you Mr Prime Minister for Greece’s moral leadership. It’s not easy, I know,” Biden said, adding that the friendship and cooperation between Greeks and the Americans is “more important than ever.”
For his part, Mitsotakis stressed that both the US and Greece have always been “on the right side of history.”
“We are now facing, united, the challenge of Russian aggression,” he said at the start of the meeting, stressing that the US-Greek relationship was at an “all-time high” not only in terms of defense, but also in trade, investment and through the role of Greece as a reliable partner in the East Med. Greece, Mitsotakis underscored, “overcame the financial crisis with a growing economy that is a pillar of stability both in the Balkans and in the wider region.”
Turkey’s destabilizing behavior was also raised by Mitsotakis. However, although Biden maintains ties with the Greek-American community it is clear the goal of his administration, but also the State Department, is “not to lose” Turkey.
Referring earlier in the day to Ankara’s opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, Mitsotakis said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that “this is really not the right time to use NATO membership for these two countries to bargain for other issues some may have.”
Moreover, during an open discussion at Georgetown University, with Washington Post journalist David Ignatius, he emphasized that the last thing NATO needs in the midst of the war in Ukraine is another source of tension between Greece and Turkey.