US Secretary of State to Lead US Delegation to 6th US-Greece Strategic Dialogue
The United States Secretary of State is expected in Athens in the coming days. Marco Rubio, as part of a European tour that will take place from 5 to 8 October 2026 and will also include Reykjavik, Iceland, and Lisbon, Portugal.
The visit to Greece takes on special diplomatic weight, as the US Secretary of State will lead the United States delegation to the 6th US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, an institutionalized high-level mechanism for discussing the most important issues of bilateral cooperation.
According to the announcement from the American side, the agenda will include, among other things, defense cooperation, regional security and energy security.
The 6th Strategic Dialogue in Athens
The holding of the new round of the Strategic Dialogue had been discussed for months between the two governments.
In February 2026, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that in a telephone conversation between the Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis with Marco Rubio, the Strategic Dialogue, energy and regional developments were discussed, with the American Minister then expressing his intention to visit Greece.
The previous one, 5th US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, was held in Washington on February 9 2024, with the participation of then US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and George Gerapetritis. Its agenda included, among others, regional issues, defense and security, energy, trade and investment, counter-terrorism cooperation and contacts between the two societies.
Defense and the Eastern Mediterranean
Defense cooperation is one of the key areas of Greek-American relations.
Already in the previous Strategic Dialogue, the two countries had reaffirmed their intention to deepen strategic defense cooperation, examining issues of military modernization, interoperability, and armament programs.
The new meeting takes place at a time when the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and wider European security remain at the center of international diplomacy.
The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes Greece-United States relations as particularly close and characterizes Greece as a reliable ally with a strategic and stabilizing role in the wider region.
Energy on the table
Energy security is expected to be an equally important issue.
In previous rounds of the Strategic Dialogue, Athens and Washington had examined the diversification of energy sources and routes, regional electricity interconnections, renewable energy sources, and Greece's role as an energy hub in the region.
The choice of energy security as one of the key priorities of the new meeting shows that this field continues to be an important part of the strategic cooperation between the two countries.
At a special time
Rubio's visit also takes place at a notable diplomatic juncture for Athens.
From 1 of October 2026, Greece has assumed the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of October, a fact that strengthens the presence of Greek diplomacy in international discussions on security and regional crises.
Thus, the talks in Athens are taking place in an environment in which the issues of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, European security and energy are simultaneously high on the international agenda.
From Reykjavik to Athens and then to Lisbon
Before Greece, Marco Rubio will be in Reykjavik, where talks with Icelandic officials are planned on economic cooperation and security issues.
After Athens, he will move on to Lisbon, where contacts with the Portuguese government will focus on defense, the economy and technology.
For Athens, however, the central event will be the 6th Greece-United States Strategic Dialogue and what will emerge from discussions on defense, energy, and the rapidly changing security environment in the region.
Official announcements following the talks will indicate which specific steps will be agreed upon and in which areas further deepening of Greek-American cooperation will be sought.
- U.S. Department of State — official announcement, 1 October 2026. Confirms that Marco Rubio will travel to Reykjavik, Athens and Lisbon from October 5–8 and that in Greece he will lead the 6th US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, on issues of defense, regional security and energy security.
Official State Department announcement
- Reuters — October 1, 2026. It broadcasts the official State Department announcement and confirms the tour and the Strategic Dialogue.
Reuters: Rubio to visit Iceland, Greece and Portugal
- Daily. It specifically states that the visit to Athens is expected on October 6–7, as well as the meetings with Giorgos Gerapetritis and Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Kathimerini – US Secretary of State to visit Athens
- The Step. It provides more information on the agenda: defense, energy, MDCA, Eastern Mediterranean and regional cooperation.
The Step – Rubio Visit to Athens
- There is also a public post by the US Ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, in which she states that she looks forward to welcoming Rubio to Greece.
photo Greek News FL
