In the wake of the renewal of the Mutual Defense & Cooperation Agreement between Greece and the United States last October, Washington continues to augment its military footprint in Greece. Preparing for the upcoming NATO exercise Atlantic Resolve, the US military is transferring major quantities of military hardware
to the northern Greek seaport of Alexandroupolis.
The current transfers comprise Stage II of tighter US-Greek strategic relations inaugurated during US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s official visit to Greece in October 2019, during which Pompeo publicly reiterated Washington’s disapproval of Turkish provocations in the Aegean:
“We have told the Turks that illegal drilling is unacceptable and we’ll continue to take diplomatic actions to make sure that we do, as we do always, ensure that lawful activity takes place…”
Atlantic Resolve
emerged in 2014 as a US-NATO counterpunch against Russia’s hostility toward Ukraine and Kiev’s military clash with pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s eastern region of the Donbass. Russia denies it is planning an invasion of the Ukraine, but Moscow’s protestations aren’t convincing anyone in Washington and EU capitals.
In anticipation of possible Ukraine trouble, the US is deploying major military components in northeastern Greece causing both Russian and Turkish consternation:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently raised the issue to his Greek counterpart. Dendias replied that the American presence has no anti-Russian character. That is unlikely to assuage Russia, but Moscow is not the only country concerned about the MDCA.
Across the Aegean, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed dismay with the US deployments in Alexandroupoli, telling reporters this month that he told President Joe Biden that the US "establishing a base there bothers us and our people."
Greece and Turkey are nominally NATO allies, but they have fought many wars against each other throughout history. They narrowly averted another conflict in August 2020.
Athens and Ankara have a highly contentious relationship because of a number of issues, including Turkey's occupation of northern Cyprus, which is considered illegal under international law, as well as their disputes over maritime delimitation zones and Turkey's weaponization of migrants.
Turkey is also increasingly antagonistic toward other NATO members, particularly France, which recently signed a defense agreement with Greece.
Turkey's disputes with its neighbors and the alliance come as it moves closer to Russia, raising concerns in NATO capitals, especially Washington.
Greece’s Alexandroupolis Hosts “Largest Shipment of US Equipment in History”
Greece’s port of Alexandroupolis is now hosting the “largest shipment of US military equipment in history,” the American Embassy in Athens said on Friday.
US carriers have been transferring helicopters and military vehicles that will participate in the upcoming NATO exercise “Atlantic Resolve” from its vessel to the port.
A large number of helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), tanks, cannons, and artillery are expected to reach the Greek port near the border with Turkey as part of an extensive military shipment that is of an unprecedented scale.
Operation Atlantic Resolve began in 2014 in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine. The U.S. at that time took several immediate steps to enhance the deterrence posture along the eastern flank of NATO, including augmenting the air, ground, and naval presence in the region, and enhancing previously scheduled exercises.
Alexandroupolis’ expanding strategic role for US military
Speaking at an event on Atlantic Resolve Distinguished Visitors Day in the northern Greek city, US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said that “the ever-growing volume of military activity at the Port of Alexandroupolis underscores this location’s expanding strategic role and importance for Greece, for the United States and for the wider region.”
This day, he said, “marks the largest transfer of U.S. military equipment through the port of Alexandroupoli to date,” with the arrival of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade from Fort Hood in Texas on its way to Stefanovikio that will operate in Europe for the next nine months, while the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade is heading back Fort Riley, Kansas, with its 27 helicopters and 259 pieces of military hardware after nine months of service.