U.S. troops will have access to Greek military bases for five years after the country extended a bilateral military agreement, saying it was necessary to stabilize a region roiled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.
The agreement with Athen’s center-right government will grant the U.S. military continued access to three bases in mainland Greece along with the Souda Bay NATO naval base in Crete. The move replaces an annual review of the deal with a five-year deal.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is traveling to Washington for a meeting with President Biden at the White House on Monday.
“We discussed how the U.S. and Greece can work together to strengthen our remarkable … alliance promoting security and prosperity, building on our fantastic momentum,” U.S. Ambassador to Greece George J. Tsunis wrote in a tweet.
The agreement was opposed by the leftist Syriza, the country’s main opposition party, saying it didn’t provide Athens with sufficient security guarantees. On Thursday, the Greek Communist Party unfurled banners at the Acropolis against the military deal. The banners read: “No to war. No to the bases of death.”
• The article is based in part on wire service reports.
