Marco Rubio Calls for Renewed Western Alliance in Athens Speech

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a major address on Wednesday from Pnyx Hill in Athens, Greece. The Hill, PBS, Politico Europe, and The Wall Street Journal all report that Rubio called for a new era of joint U.S. and European power on the global stage. Speaking near the ancient Acropolis, Rubio urged European allies to defend shared Western values and strengthen their alliance with the United States. [2][3][5][6]

Politico Europe and eKathimerini.com both report that Rubio called Greece a strong and model NATO ally and described the country as a source of stability in an unstable world. Politico Europe reported that Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said Rubio would use the speech to call for a renewal of the Western spirit, tracing shared heritage from Athens and Rome to Christendom and the founding of the United States. [2][7]

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis stated that Greece was willing to cooperate with the United States and offer maritime assistance in the Strait of Hormuz, provided a viable peace process exists in that region, according to Politico Europe. During a press conference in Greece, Rubio also disputed a report by The Wall Street Journal regarding Venezuela, as reported by The Times of India. [2][4]

Ancient Greece pioneered direct democracy in Athens from the eighth century BCE onward, and modern Greece gained its independence from Ottoman rule in 1830. The Washington Post noted that Rubio's speech in Greece hinted at grander political ambitions for the Secretary of State. [1][10]