US Secretary of State Blinken visiting Greece on regional tour Jan. 4-11

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken will pay a visit to Greece as part of a tour in the wider region from January 4 to 11.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the visit during a daily briefing. Greece is a significant ally of NATO, and Blinken will visit Greece to speak about Greece’s support to Ukraine, the safeguarding of regional maritime security, and other issues, Miller said.

The US state secretary is expected to visit Israel and the West Bank, Türkiye, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

A press statement on the trip’s agenda, the State Department said, “Throughout his trip, the secretary will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza; securing the release of all remaining hostages; our shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and the resumption of essential services; and ensuring that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced from Gaza. He will also discuss urgent mechanisms to stem violence, calm rhetoric, and reduce regional tensions, including deterring Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and avoiding escalation in Lebanon. The secretary will reaffirm the US commitment to working with partners to set the conditions necessary for peace in the Middle East, which includes comprehensive, tangible steps toward the realization of a future Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel, with both living in peace and security.”