Pentagon issues statement on Alexandroupoli following Greek media claims: 'We have no base'

A U.S. Department of Defense official issued a written statement regarding reports in the Greek press claiming that the U.S. would close its base in Alexandroupoli.

AA

Greek media had made headlines by claiming that U.S. President Donald Trump had decided to close the American base in the Greek city of Alexandroupoli. However, an official from the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated that the U.S. does not have a military base in Alexandroupoli, Greece, and that the facility there is a Greek installation used within the framework of agreements between the two countries.

In the statement, the official said, "The U.S. does not have a base in Alexandroupoli; this is a Greek facility to which the U.S. has access rights under the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement."

Noting that the base in question is used only as a transportation hub for the entry and exit of U.S. equipment into Europe, the official added, "This is not a 'base' that the U.S. would close."

GREEK MEDIA HAD CLAIMED IT WOULD BE CLOSED

The Greek newspapers Dimokratia and Ta Nea had claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump had decided to close the American base in the Greek city of Alexandroupoli.

In a report by the Dimokratia newspaper, which suggested that the base might no longer be considered necessary and could be closed following the end of the war in Ukraine, it was stated, "The closure of the base will strengthen Turkey's influence over the Straits and increase Ankara's authority to control entry and exit in the region."

The report in Ta Nea also commented that if the base in Alexandroupoli were to be closed as the U.S. reduces its support for Ukraine, countries like Greece would be negatively affected.