Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met at the Maximos Palace with the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate, Robert Menendezshortly before the announcement of the US senator by an honorary doctorate from EKPA.

The Prime Minister praised Mr. Menendez’s contribution to strengthening Greek-American relations, peace and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, for which, in the end, in August last year, the senator was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Honor.

He highlighted Mr. Menendez’s legislative initiative, the US-Greece Defense and Inter-Parliamentary Partnership Act, which became US law in December 2021 and further improves bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of defense.

The meeting reviewed Greek-American relations, which are at their best, and prospects for closer cooperation in the light of the fourth round of the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue to be held in Athens in October. .

International events were also discussed, most notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Robert Menendez expressed his gratitude for the clear position of the government, which from the very beginning supported Ukraine by providing humanitarian and defense materials. He stressed that Greece is a stable democracy, a reliable partner and ally of the US in the southeastern wing of NATO, and a pillar of stability in the region.

They also exchanged views on cooperation in the field of defense and new opportunities that are opening up in connection with the recent visit of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to Alexandroupolis.

The Prime Minister placed special emphasis on the economic and energy cooperation of the two countries, while he analyzed the importance of the infrastructure that Greece is developing for its energy security, diversification of energy sources and energy supply to Europe, in connection with its strategic position.