U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Athens today for what Greek and American officials are calling the most substa...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Athens today for what Greek and American officials are calling the most substantive U.S.-Greece meeting in years, centered on F-35 weapons packages, LNG energy routes, and a rare public address from the ancient Pnyx hill overlooking the Acropolis. The visit kicks off at the Foreign Ministry, where Rubio will sit down with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis before the two jointly open the 6th U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue. Working groups will then break into separate sessions covering defense, energy, investment, technology, maritime affairs, and regional security issues. Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle is traveling with Rubio and has been publicly credited by him with advancing American energy interests in Greece and Southeast Europe, specifically around the Vertical Corridor project. The delegation also includes Kate Dillon, who handles educational and cultural affairs, and Dylan Johnson, covering global public affairs. On defense, the conversation has moved past the F-35 acquisition itself. Greek and American officials are now negotiating what advanced weapons and systems those jets will carry, and how they will operate alongside the upgraded F-16 Viper fleet. Athens is pushing for a full missions package built around both aircraft, not simply a list of additional purchases. The visit will also include a signing of a Letter of Intent on cooperation between the Greek Armed Forces and the Florida National Guard. On energy, Greece is positioning itself as the transit hub for American LNG flowing into the Balkans and Eastern Europe through the Vertical Corridor. Chevron and ExxonMobil already have a presence in Greek offshore exploration, and the 3+1 framework with Cyprus and Israel is also back on the agenda. The day's most politically charged moment will come when Rubio climbs to the Pnyx, the hill where Athenian democracy was born, and delivers an address with the Acropolis as his backdrop. According to sources, he is expected to call on Americans and Europeans to reject what he sees as Western decline, invoking Athens, Rome, and the Christian tradition as the common roots of Western civilization. He is e...