U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Greece as a model ally during his speech at the Pnyx in Athens on Wednesday. During his October 7, 2026, address, he urged Europe to follow Greece’s example. He also called for closer and more effective transatlantic cooperation.
With the sunlit Acropolis forming a majestic backdrop, Rubio highlighted Greece’s deep coordination with Washington on regional defense, energy security, and migration management. While acknowledging the political tensions that occasionally strain relations between America and Europe, he argued that both sides must strengthen their alliance to confront escalating global challenges.
The Pnyx once hosted ancient Athens’ democratic assembly, giving Rubio’s appeal a setting closely associated with the history of democracy. Against that backdrop, he connected Western renewal with the shared inheritance of Americans and Europeans. His message also addressed renewed competition among major world powers.
The historical sanctuary of global Democracy: The legacy of the Pnyx
The choice of venue lent immense historical weight to the American diplomat’s address. Situated less than a mile west of the Acropolis, the Pnyx holds an unparalleled position as the literal birthplace of direct democracy.
Beginning in the late 6th century BCE following the foundational reforms of Cleisthenes, this rocky hillside served as the official meeting grounds for the Ekklesia (the popular assembly of ancient Athens). Derived from the Greek word for “tightly packed together”, the Pnyx operated as an open-air theater of civic power. Thousands of ordinary citizens gathered roughly forty times a year to debate laws, vote on foreign policy, and hold their leaders accountable.
It was from the site’s famous stone bema (the orator’s podium) that monumental historical figures like Pericles, Aristides, and Demosthenes delivered the speeches that shaped Western civilization. Grounded in the revolutionary principles of isēgoría (the equal right to speak) and isonomía (equality before the law), the Pnyx stands today as an eternal monument to human liberty.
The historical importance of the Pnyx for the Greek nation extends far beyond antiquity. In October 1838, this deeply symbolic site connected ancient heritage with the dawn of modern Greece. Theodoros Kolokotronis (the legendary commander-in-chief of the Greek War of Independence) delivered a revolutionary speech to the youth of Athens from this exact spot. Standing on the ancient rock, Kolokotronis delivered a powerful spiritual testament to the new generation.
He linked the glory of antiquity with the sacrifices of the 1821 revolution. He famously urged students to dedicate themselves to education while safeguarding national unity and faith as the pillars of the newly established Greek state.
Rubio praises Greece in his speech as an example for Europe
Earlier in the day, Rubio joined Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis to convene the sixth high-level U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue. During these closed-door sessions, Rubio urged European countries to take significantly greater responsibility for their own sovereign defense.
He explicitly presented Greece as a prime example of the serious financial and military commitment that Washington expects from its continental allies.
The bilateral discussions covered advanced counterterrorism information sharing, technological cooperation, and regional energy security infrastructure.
Rubio enthusiastically backed increased European imports of American liquefied natural gas alongside the construction of new regional gas and electricity connections. Together, these high-profile projects will dramatically strengthen Greece’s role as an indispensable energy hub for southern Europe.
Furthermore, Greece’s expanding gas infrastructure gives the transatlantic partnership a wider European dimension. Specialized pipelines and advanced port facilities support a growing energy corridor extending through eastern Europe directly to Ukraine. This strategic network strongly supports Greece’s expanding regional ambitions within the Balkans.
America’s intellectual debt to Ancient Greece
Rubio’s warning about the West’s future during his speech in Greece
Looking ahead, Rubio presented the coming decade as decisive for the West’s international standing. His prepared remarks warned against accepting decline and urged governments to act. He linked that choice to stronger industries, technological innovation and national power.
“The next decade will write the story of the next century,” his advance remarks stated, AP reported.
Finally, Rubio’s prepared remarks during his speech in Greece called for rebuilding American industry, strengthening defense and regaining control over critical supply chains. He presented those priorities as part of Washington’s response to international competition, alongside ambitions for leadership in future technological industries.
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