US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to arrive in Athens on Tuesday, placing defense cooperation at the center of a visit that Greek officials view as a reaffirmation of the strategic relationship between Greece and the United States.
Greece and Bulgaria on Saturday exchanged historic religious artifacts and anthropological remains under an agreement that returns 48 sacred objects to Greece more than a century after they were removed during World War I.
Greece is continuing construction of a border fence along the central Evros region despite formal objections from Turkey.
Greece is preparing a range of responses to growing escalation by Turkey following Ankara’s designation of two maritime parks in the northeastern Aegean and near Kastellorizo, as well as the revival of the long-disputed theory of “gray zones” in the Aegean.
Athens is being pushed to reassess its strategy in the Middle East and North Africa following the expected but unwelcome signing of a mutual defense agreement among Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The pact provides for reciprocal military assistance if one of the three countries invokes the clause.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may make a brief stop in Athens one day before or – most likely – after the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8, where he will be accompanying President Donald Trump, Kathimerini understands.
The Foreign Ministry expressed its “concern” Sunday over the denial of entry and subsequent deportation of a trade union delegation that was traveling to the West Bank, invited by Palestinians.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he will go to Turkey and make another trip to China at some point in 2026.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis that Ankara intends to proceed with legislation on Turkey’s maritime zones, a proposal known as the “Blue Homeland” bill, during talks on the sidelines of the SEECP Summit in Sofia.
Ukraine has apologized to Greece over the discovery of a Ukrainian naval drone off the island of Lefkada last month, attributing the incident to circumstances arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
