US President-elect Donald Trump and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had their first phone call following Trump’s sweeping victory in the November 5th US presidential election on Monday afternoon, Greek time.
“Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a phone conversation with Donald Trump, whom he congratulated on his electoral victory,” a press release from the Prime Minister’s office noted in a statement released to the press.
The two men discussed the strategic relationship between the United States and Greece, both historic NATO partners and allies.
During the phone call, the Greek Prime Minister “emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership between Greece and the United States for the stability and security of the wider region,” the Greek Premier’s statement reads.
Greek Premier Mitsotakis also expressed his desire to continue the “close cooperation” between the two nations after the new Trump administration takes office in January 2025.
Mitsotakis noted in speaking to Trump that he looks forward to continuing and strengthening the ties between Washington and Athens “on issues of bilateral, regional, and international interest.”
He invited Trump to visit Greece in the near future.
Mitsotakis among first European leaders to congratulate Trump
Greek PM Mitsotakis joined other world leaders early in congratulating Donald Trump on his victory in the US election last week.
“I want to congratulate President Trump on his emphatic victory, certain that Greek-American relations will continue to be strong and productive. They [are of] a strategic nature and I look forward to even closer cooperation,” he said.
The Greek Prime Minister noted that cooperation between Athens and Washington had always been close even during Donald Trump’s first presidential term, while his invitation to speak in Congress had come from both sides of the House. He also noted that Greece’s position in NATO and as a partner in the EU was a position of principles.
Greek PM and Trump Met in Washington in 2020
This is not the first time Greek Premier Mitsotakis and President-elect Trump had a conversation.
The Greek Prime Minister visited the United States in January 2020 a few weeks before aviation travel shut down due to COVID-19.
Then, the relations between Greece and Turkey were exceptionally tense, with the Greek Premier briefing President Trump about the situation.
President Trump had referred back to Greece as a “reliable partner” and congratulated the country for its recent rapid economic development. “Greece and its recovery are a huge success,” the then US President had underscored.
“The relationship is really extraordinary, I would say. It’s as good as it can get. We’re doing a lot of things together—military. We’re also doing big trade. A lot of trade. And Greece has made a tremendous comeback,” President Trump had told reporters.
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