Strengthening the US-Greece security relationship

A staunch advocate of Greece, US Representative Grace Meng, a Democrat representing New York City and a member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, talks to Kathimerini about an amendment she recently introduced in the defense budget aimed at bolstering US-Greek defense cooperation.

What led you to introduce the recent amendment that was focused on the security relationship between the United States and Greece?

I represent a very significant Hellenic community in my district in New York. The security relationship between the USA and Greece is a concern and priority for many of my constituents, but also for us as a country and for me as a member of Congress and the Hellenic caucus. It’s been a top issue for us not only to maintain but to strengthen the security relationship between the United States and Greece.

In light of the extensive discussion in Greece surrounding your amendment, there has been speculation that it opens up the way for additional US military bases in Greece. Can you clarify the specific goals and content of this amendment just to dispel any misconceptions?

The amendment does not provide any money, release funds, or create new laws about establishing new military bases in Greece. It asks the administration, specifically the State Department and the Department of Defense, to jointly write a report and submit it to the appropriate congressional committees, so we can see and analyze what is working and what can be improved. Additional bases may be a topic of discussion in this report, but there’s no plan that there is going to be any new base.

Just to clarify, even if your amendment makes it to the final NDAA, that doesn’t mean that new bases will have been approved, correct?

Correct, right.

‘The port of Alexandroupoli and Greece in general have been crucial not just in terms of defense security, but also energy security’

So the MDCA and – unfortunately – the war in Ukraine have increased Greece’s role in the region and have added significant value to its strategic importance. How do you envision Greece’s evolving strategic role in the foreseeable future?

I think Greece has been and remains such a necessary and extremely important ally. As we are seeing Russia’s unprovoked war play out in Ukraine, Alexandroupoli has been such an instrumental strategic location. As we continue to watch this conflict and we try to make sure that Ukraine has the tools and all the necessary resources that it needs, the port of Alexandroupoli and Greece in general have been crucial not just in terms of defense security, but also energy security. And I think because of this conflict, Greece has an even more important role in our global community and I think more international players observe that and realize that as well.

Congressional leadership recently cleared F-35 sales for Greece. How important is it for such sales to be expedited and for Greece to get the advanced weaponry Congress envisioned in the US-Greece Defense and Interparliamentary Partnership Act?

We are very happy about this development. And really, it just adds Greece to the list of allies of the United States that have been able to obtain those jets.

You sit on the powerful Appropriations Committee, and we’ve seen many of your Republican colleagues try to cut back on America’s spending abroad. Can the US stay credible if foreign appropriations are cut back?

I think most Democrats and Republicans are in agreement about the importance of foreign assistance. I sit on the subcommittee that funds programs like this (FMS). Right now, we are seeing a select few Republican extreme members who are trying to cut that funding, but I believe most of us do not want to see that. And hopefully, with positive developments, bipartisan developments on the Senate side, that won’t be a concern.

Are you concerned that if we have a change in the administration, a Republican president might stop funding Ukraine?

There’s always that concern. There have been conversations, obviously on the Republican side, about some members wanting to stop that funding. But there are also important voices in both the Republican and Democratic Party that don’t want to see that. I will be optimistic that there will be no change in the administration.