The American Hellenic Institute has urged United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio to oppose sales of F-35 jet fighters to Turkey and reaffirm support for Greece and Cyprus during upcoming diplomatic talks in Athens.
Rubio is scheduled to lead the American delegation to the Greek capital for the sixth United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue, a diplomatic framework launched in 2018 to coordinate policy across defense, energy, trade, and regional security.
In a letter signed by institute president Nick Larigakis, the Washington-based Greek-American policy group highlighted the strategic importance of bilateral relations and called on Washington to take a clear position against Turkish actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Defense partnership and military facilities
The institute described Greece as a faithful, reliable, and stable ally of the United States. It noted that Athens consistently exceeds NATO defense spending commitments, which set a target of two percent of gross domestic product, while fully satisfying its obligations under the bilateral Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Special reference was made to the naval and air facilities at Souda Bay on the island of Crete, which the organization characterized as a critical hub for American military operations. During recent crises in the Middle East, American fighter jets, aerial refueling aircraft, cargo transports, and special operations units have repeatedly used the Cretan base.
Greece also transferred a Patriot air defense missile battery to Crete to strengthen protection around the facility. The institute emphasized that Athens has assumed direct financial costs and operational risks as part of its strategic security partnership with Washington.
Energy infrastructure and regional security
Addressing energy security, the letter detailed Greece's role as an entry gateway for American liquefied natural gas into Europe. Supplies flow through import infrastructure at Revithoussa and Alexandroupoli, feeding into the Vertical Corridor pipeline network that reaches Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Ukraine.
According to the institute, this energy network directly advances American strategic interests by reducing European reliance on Russian energy supplies and solidifying Greece as a primary regional energy hub.
Larigakis also referenced the 3+1 diplomatic format, which brings together the United States, Greece, the Republic of Cyprus, and Israel, as well as the establishment of the U.S. Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center. The institute urged the United States government to ensure the center receives the necessary resources and political support.
Maritime disputes and Turkish policy
The letter contained extensive commentary on Turkey's role in Eastern Mediterranean energy and geopolitical developments. It cited the Great Sea Interconnector, an electricity interconnection project funded by the European Commission to link the power grids of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel and end the energy isolation of Cyprus.
The institute noted that Ankara claims its consent is required for subsea work in maritime areas between Crete and Cyprus. It specifically highlighted a maritime incident off the island of Kasos and Turkish demands for prior notification regarding oceanographic research.
Larigakis connected Ankara's actions to Turkey's Blue Homeland maritime doctrine and its long-standing casus belli threat against Greece, which stems from a 1995 Turkish parliamentary resolution regarding territorial waters. The institute stated that these actions violate international law and undermine American strategic interests in the region.
Sanctions and weapon sales
Expressing concern over Turkish military activity in the Aegean Sea, the institute called on the United States government to maintain sanctions imposed on Ankara under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Washington imposed those measures after Turkey purchased the Russian S-400 missile defense system.
On arms transfers, the organization maintained that Turkey should not be permitted to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program or acquire advanced American weapons systems while it continues to threaten a NATO ally and challenge the sovereignty and sovereign rights of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus.
Larigakis concluded the letter by calling on Rubio to use his visit to Athens to explicitly reconfirm that the United States stands with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus in defending their sovereignty and sovereign rights in accordance with international law.
The source of the report was the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
