Trump closes Greek base that supplied weapons to Ukraine: why it happened
24 February 15:53
US President Donald Trump has ordered the closure of the US military base in Alexandroupolis in northeastern Greece, which played a key role in supplying weapons and military equipment to Ukraine and Eastern Europe. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi with reference to the newsbreak.gr media outlet.
“Since direct talks between the US and Russian delegations on the war in Ukraine are considered positive and productive, the Pentagon will no longer provide logistical support to Ukraine and will not send its personnel there. Therefore, the American base in Alexandroupolis may be recognized as unnecessary,” the media outlet said.
The media outlet adds that the decision to close the base was made in response to a joint request from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Greek officials expressed concern over the decision, given that the presence of the US base was seen as a deterrent against possible provocations by Turkey. After all, the closure of the base will restore Ankara’s absolute control over the entry and exit of military and commercial vessels to and from the Black and Aegean Seas.
So far, US officials have not provided detailed comments on the closure of the base in Alexandroupolis. It remains unclear whether this decision is part of a broader strategy to redeploy U.S. military forces or the result of specific diplomatic agreements with Russia and Turkey.
What is known about the US military base in Alexandroupolis
The base in Alexandroupolis, located in a strategically important region, served as a logistics hub for US and NATO operations in southeastern Europe. Its closure could significantly affect military supplies to Ukraine and change the balance of power in the region.
For example, the Greek newspaper Δημοκρατία notes that the closure of the base calls into question the strategic partnership between the United States and Greece, especially in the context of increased military cooperation in recent years. Earlier, in May 2022, Greece and the United States signed an agreement to extend the US military’s access to several military bases on the Greek mainland, including Alexandroupolis. This agreement provided for a five-year extension period and replaced the annual review of conditions.
