Greece is increasing its military capabilities amid ongoing tensions with Turkey over its eastern Mediterranean sea border. They may renew their bilateral military cooperation agreement with the United States this summer.
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panajiotopoulos made the announcement on Saturday (May 15th).
If the US-Greece bilateral military cooperation agreement is renewed, US forces will be able to expand military operations in the Mediterranean. This could put Turkey at risk.
The United States is taking this step at a time when Greece’s military tensions with Turkey are tense. Turkey’s current relationship with the United States, a NATO member, is not very normal. Turkey’s tensions with Greece over oil and gas exploration in the Mediterranean have resurfaced.
Describing Greece’s military relations with the United States as “the best ever”, Nicos Panajiotopoulos said bilateral military cooperation could be finalized in the next two months. It will be approved by the National Assembly in the next two months.
If US military relations with Greece continue in this way, Greece could become an important US ally in the region instead of Turkey. In that case, the US military could use Greek bases, excluding Turkey’s Injerlik military base.
But the United States has so far given no indication of a troop withdrawal from Turkey.
