U.S. Secretary of State Rubio to Lead Sixth Greece-U.S. Strategic Dialogue in Athens

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to land in Athens on the evening of Oct. 6 for the sixth round of the Greece-U.S. Strategic Dialogue, with formal talks set for Oct. 7 and a departure on the morning of Oct. 8 after a meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou is overseeing Greek preparations, while Rubio will likely be accompanied by senior officials from multiple U.S. agencies.

Energy cooperation, highlighted by the restarting Great Sea Interconnector linking Greece, Cyprus and Israel, will be a central theme, reflecting Washington’s view of Greece as a regional energy hub. The dialogue will also address defense, trade, counter-terrorism, civil protection and the “3+1” framework with Cyprus and Israel, as well as Turkey’s escalating maritime claims. Discussions may touch on renewing the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, though its status remains unchanged since the 2021 upgrade. The visit is timed ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, signaling Washington’s intent to reaffirm its regional stance.