PM Mitsotakis at AmCham event: Greece and the US have excellent relations, they were never better

23:04 21/1/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

The election of Donald Trump to the American presidency is Europe's last motivation to move from words to actions - not in a spirit of opposition to the US, since we have very close relations and these will be maintained - but to search for mutually beneficial solutions," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in response to a question during an event at the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening.

Mitsotakis

and Enrico Letta, president of the Jacques Delors Institute and former prime minister of Italy were guests of honor at fireside chat and dinner on "The future of Europe in a fast-changing world: Leadership & global challenges" at a hotel in Vouliagmeni. The chat was moderated by Mega TV journalist Katerina Panagopoulou.

The Greek premier also referred to the issue of a common European defense, underlining that "as Europeans, we must do more to shield our continent."

Asked about Greek-American relations, Mitsotakis noted that "Greece and the United States have excellent relations, which were never better in the past. We have a five-year defense cooperation, but our relations much farther than defense, to cutting-edge technologies, education, and culture. We have very strong relations and strong ties in both parties at Washington. I do not expect changes in our bilateral relations - however, we are facing this relationship not through a bilateral aspect, but we ought to find a unified approach as Europeans before the new American government."

In terms of European countries' share common-defense expenditures, the Greek PM noted that "Trump was right when he urged European allies to assume more responsibilities in terms of expenditures in defense. I believe we shall agree to a higher percentage over GDP in terms of defense expenditures in NATO's context; I do not know how much it will be, but I believe it will not reach 5%. It is clear that we will need to spend more money on national and European level as well. We must have more fiscal space for investments in defense, but we also need more European funding for defense. We achieved it in the midst of the pandemic with the Recovery Fund, we are at a critical geopolitical juncture, and I believe this conversation will begin in a coordinated manner at the informal EU [leaders] summit on February 3."

Asked to comment on President Trump's positions on current social issues, Mitsotakis underlined that in Europe we do not have a problem as to the woke agenda, which prevailed recently in the US. He also insisted that stability, as seen in Greece where there is a central-right government, is an important goal, while he excluded anew any governing collaboration with parties lying further right than New Democracy.

The government's goal now is to play a constructive role at European level. "The time has come for bold initiatives," Mitsotakis said.

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