Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet with American President Donald Trump in New York City on September 24, concurrent with a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, government spokesman Stelios Petsas confirmed on Monday evening.
In a Hellas Journal analysis written by Michail Ignatiou, the author says that the meeting is the result of US diplomatic efforts in Washington and Athens after the July 7 national Greek elections, and will be a good development for Greece.
According to Ignatiou, every year the White House selects a group of foreign leaders considered important for US strategic interests, whether they have been known to have caused difficulties, such as Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, or are trusted allies of the United States.
The US President then meets with the chosen leaders.
Initially, Ignatiou claims, the Greek PM was to meet with Vice President Mike Pence, who is sympathetic to the new government in Athens, especially after it recognized Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s true leader after that country’s elections in January.
It seems that top officials in Washington have changed their minds somewhat, and that Mitsotakis will actually meet with President Trump himself.
Ignatiou’s analysis claims that State Department officials and the US Embassy in Athens played a pivotal role in the decision for the two leaders to meet and speak together officially for the first time.
The meeting is very important for Greece at the moment as Mitsotakis will have the opportunity to discuss crucial issues with President Trump, including the Greek economy and the need for investment, as well as the recent Turkish aggression, which must be stopped.
The relationship between the US President and Turkish leader Erdogan could help in regard to the latter issue.
According to the Hellas Journal analysis, the necessary procedures to lay the groundwork for an official Mitsotakis visit to the White House are also under way, with the Greek side hoping that the visit will take place before the end of this year.
Additionally, Greece and the United States are to sign a military agreement as well; US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Greece in the first week of October to that end.
Greek-American relations, which flourished during the administration of Alexis Tsipras, remain warm with new Greek PM Mitsotakis, a Western-educated politician who has many American friends and contacts and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.
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