25.02.2025 01:50
A denial has come in response to the claim made by the Greek press that U.S. President Trump would close the base in Alexandroupoli, stating, "The joint wish of Putin and Erdoğan is coming true." A Pentagon official stated that the U.S. does not have a military base in Alexandroupoli, Greece, and that the base there is a Greek facility used within the framework of agreements between the two countries.
The Greek press claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to close the American base in the city of Alexandroupoli, Greece. The Dimokratia newspaper reported in its headline that the U.S. government has initiated an urgent necessity review to determine whether the operations at the Alexandroupoli base will continue.
"CLOSING THE ALEXANDROUPOLIS BASE WILL STRENGTHEN TURKEY'S INFLUENCE OVER THE STRAITS"
In the report suggesting that the base may be deemed unnecessary and closed with the end of the war in Ukraine, it was stated, "The closure of the base will strengthen Turkey's influence over the Straits and increase Ankara's authority to control entries and exits in the region."
"GREECE WILL BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED"
The report indicated that if this decision is made, the Greek government and opposition will be put in a difficult position, and it was expressed that the necessity of the base for Greece's national interests should be reassessed. It was also noted that the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from NATO could affect Greece's strategic planning. In a report by Ta Nea newspaper, it was commented that countries like Greece would be negatively affected if the base in Alexandroupoli were to be closed due to the U.S. reducing its support for Ukraine.
"ERDOGAN HAD REQUESTED ITS CLOSURE"
The report emphasized that the Trump administration has adopted the "America First" approach. In a report by Newsbreak.gr, it was stated, "The closure of the base will also be a significant gain for Turkey. The Erdogan administration has repeatedly expressed its discomfort with the operations of the U.S. base in Alexandroupoli and has demanded its closure."
PENTAGON: THE U.S. DOES NOT HAVE A BASE IN ALEXANDROUPOLI
A Pentagon official made a written statement regarding the issue. In the statement, the official said, "The U.S. does not have a base in Alexandroupoli; this is a Greek facility to which the U.S. has access rights under the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement." The official noted that the base is only used as a transportation hub for the entry and exit of U.S. equipment to and from Europe, stating, "This is not a 'base' that the U.S. will close."