US, Greece Announce $4B Arms Sales and Counterterrorism Pact
Rubio and Gerapetritis unveil arms sales, Strykers and a Florida Guard link in Athens; Greece offers conditional naval help in the Strait of Hormuz.
ATHENS, Greece — Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis announced $4 billion in Foreign Military Sales to Greece on October 7, at the sixth round of the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue. According to a joint statement released by the State Department, the sales support Greece’s long-term defense plan and are meant to deepen interoperability between the two militaries.
Defense and security steps
The joint statement listed several other measures:
- Greece’s entry into the U.S. National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program was finalized, pairing the country with the Florida National Guard.
- The United States will provide Stryker armored vehicles to Greece. The statement did not say how many.
- The two governments agreed to explore defense industrial cooperation, including on innovative technologies.
At a joint news conference, Rubio announced “a new Memorandum of Understanding establishing a joint security program to strengthen the counterterrorism information sharing between our respective law enforcement agencies.” He said Greece, because of its position in the Mediterranean, “is particularly exposed to the threats posed by mass migration, by human trafficking, by different forms of terror.”
Rubio praised Athens on burden-sharing, saying Greece is “on track to meet the commitments that have been made to spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense this year.” He called the country “a true and strong and model NATO Ally.”
Greece’s conditional offer on Hormuz
A reporter from the Greek daily Kathimerini asked whether Greece would join U.S. missions in the Middle East. Gerapetritis said Athens could help in the Gulf, but only under certain conditions.
“If it becomes necessary, we are in a position to be able to cooperate with the United States so as to provide the necessary naval assistance in the area of the Strait of Hormuz as well, provided that the situation allows it, provided that there is a viable peace process,” he said, according to the Greek Foreign Ministry’s English transcript.
He noted that Greece already leads the European Union’s Operation Aspides, which protects merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
Another reporter asked whether Greece would let U.S. forces use the Souda Bay naval base in Crete to support any renewed strikes on Iran. Gerapetritis did not answer directly. He said Greece backs “the party defending itself against aggression” and has become “a security provider” for its neighbors, Cyprus, Bulgaria and the Gulf states.
Energy, trade and culture
The joint statement also said the two sides intend to partner on investment screening and on protecting critical infrastructure procurement. It highlighted energy ties, including the Vertical Gas Corridor and hydrocarbon exploration. The two governments signed an agreement on certification for U.S. seafarers on Greek vessels and extended their Cultural Property Agreement, which aims to protect cultural heritage from trafficking networks.
What it means
Analysis: The package pairs arms sales and Guard ties with police and energy cooperation, in line with the Trump administration’s push for European allies to carry more of their own defense. Greece’s Hormuz offer is hedged: tying any naval role to a peace process means it does not commit Greek warships to the current confrontation with Iran.
Sources
- U.S. Department of State: Joint Statement on the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue
- U.S. Department of State: Rubio and Gerapetritis at a Joint Press Availability
- Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Gerapetritis statements after meeting Rubio
- Defense News (Reuters): Rubio says US, Greece to jointly combat security threats
Additional sources
- State Department: Rubio’s remarks at the Pnyx: Rubio’s evening speech in Athens, which described U.S. policy as “the unapologetic pursuit of national power”
- Military.com (AP): From the Acropolis, Rubio urges Europe to defend Western values: protests in Athens against the visit and congressional probes into U.S. Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle
