Against the backdrop of preparations for the 6th round of the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue, and during a particularly critical period for the wider region, diplomatic activity between Athens and Washington is intensifying. The upcoming visit of United States Deputy Secretary of State Alison Hooker to the Greek capital next week marks the beginning of an important new round of high-level contacts.
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Hooker will hold talks with Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou. The two officials have been in continuous contact and have met recently in Ankara, Stockholm, and Brussels. According to well-informed sources, the full spectrum of Greek-American relations will be on the agenda during their meetings in Athens.
Alison Hooker’s visit to Athens: The main objective of the talks
The primary goal of the US Deputy Secretary of State’s talks in Athens is to lay the groundwork for the 6th round of the Strategic Dialogue, which is expected to bring US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Greece. Rubio himself, during a recent phone call with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, expressed his desire to visit Greece as soon as possible.
Rubio’s exact arrival date in Athens remains unknown
However, the exact date of Rubio’s visit to Athens has not yet been determined, as it depends on current developments, his demanding schedule, and the workload associated with the US midterm elections. According to the same sources, technical talks are currently proceeding as planned, and once they are concluded, a date will be explored for the high-stakes visit of the American official to Greece.
US strategic planning for Greece remains stable and independent of developments with Turkey, while also reaffirming Greece’s role as a strategic hub in the wider region, says Professor of International Law Angelos Syrigos, speaking to parapolitika.gr.
What Angelos Syrigos says
“We tend to view Greek-American relations through the lens of Greek-Turkish relations. But that’s not how the Americans see it,” he explains. “They view the trajectories of America, Greece, and Turkey as two parallel paths, and they try to keep these paths from becoming entangled. They want each to function independently. So American strategic planning for Greece remains unchanged, regardless of whatever plans they have for Turkey.” As he further explains, “we have a mindset that sees everything through the prism of Greek-Turkish relations. The Americans don’t see it that way. They maintain a separate and parallel framework for each country — one for Greece, a different one for Turkey. They view Turkey in relation to the Middle East, Libya, Syria, the Black Sea, and the Caucasus. They view us in relation to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans. So US strategic planning for Greece remains constant, regardless of whatever plans they have for Turkey.”
Where Washington’s interest is focused
According to well-informed sources, Washington is showing keen interest in the Souda Bay military base, which has gained particular prominence during the current period amid the US-Iran conflict. The war with Iran highlighted the strategic value of Souda Bay Naval Base, where the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford docked in February for refueling and technical inspections.
Energy also takes center stage
Also expected to dominate the agenda of talks between the two countries’ diplomatic representatives is the deepening of cooperation in the energy sector, particularly regarding Greece’s transformation into an energy hub for the transfer of LNG to Balkan and Western European countries — a strategic partnership cemented at the Zappeion Summit in November 2025.
High on the agenda is also the strategic partnership between Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the United States, known as the “3+1 format,” which was established in part at Marco Rubio’s urging and focuses on connectivity and inter-regional cooperation. A prime example is the IMEC Economic Corridor, which is viewed as an alternative route of strategic interest.
The 6th Strategic Dialogue, originally scheduled for February 2026 in Athens, was postponed due to the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. According to the revised schedule, it is now expected to take place before the end of the year, with hopes that it will further strengthen Greek-American relations.
