The U.S. withdraws from Europe – But not from Dedeağaç and Souda
According to well-informed diplomatic sources, the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, Matt Whitaker, is expected to visit Greece in March, with Alexandroupolis and the Souda Bay facilities placed under close review. The purpose of the visit is to assess the strategic value and operational usefulness of these bases for U.S. interests.
Balancing Act for Athens
In recent days, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has sought to strike a careful balance between European Union commitments to international law and the increasingly unconventional geopolitical agenda of U.S. President Donald Trump. This comes at a time when Washington is openly pursuing greater control over Greenland and exploring alternative international structures that could sidestep existing UN frameworks, particularly on issues such as the Gaza conflict.
Athens’ cautious approach is far from accidental. Greek policymakers are closely monitoring:
- President Trump’s personal rapport with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
- Growing discussions within parts of the EU regarding enhanced security and defense cooperation with Ankara
- U.S. Military Drawdown Across NATO Structures
The United States has already initiated accelerated withdrawals of personnel and officers from key NATO command structures across Europe. The broader plan foresees a phased reduction through 2029, as current mandates expire and positions are left unfilled before being formally abolished.
Among the affected structures:
- NATO Special Operations Forces Command (SOFCOM) in Mons, Belgium
- NATO’s naval command STRIKFORNATO in Portugal
- Multinational NATO force commands in Romania and Poland
Even NATO structures located on U.S. soil are not exempt. The Combined Joint Operations from the Sea (CJOS) Center of Excellence in Norfolk, Virginia, in which Greece participates alongside countries such as Turkey, Germany and the UK, is reportedly under discussion for a transfer of administrative responsibility to the United Kingdom.
Strategic Pivot to the Indo-Pacific
Overall, the U.S. Department of Defense is reorienting its strategic focus toward the Pacific and Indian Ocean theaters, downgrading the Atlantic’s priority. As part of this shift, Washington is also reducing its presence in various NATO Centres of Excellence, including those related to counterterrorism, energy security and command-and-control operations.
Why Greece Still Matters
Despite the broader drawdown, Athens has received assurances that the United States does not intend to withdraw from:
- NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Greece (NRDC-GR) in Selanik
- NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Centre of Excellence (IAMD) in Chania
More importantly, Dedağaç and Souda Bay — both hosting exclusively U.S. military facilities — are viewed differently.
Greek officials emphasize that U.S. strategic planning in Southeastern Europe remains unchanged in one crucial respect:
Greece is not treated merely as an EU member state, but as a critical operational hub covering the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Souda Bay, in particular, remains one of the most advanced forward bases available to the U.S. Sixth Fleet, including as a logistical waypoint toward the Indian Ocean.
Reactivation of the U.S.–Greece Defense Framework
Washington has also requested the reactivation of the High-Level Consultative Committee (HLCC) overseeing the U.S.–Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA). The committee has not convened since 2018, and its revival signals an American intention to reassess its military posture from the ground up, seeking a smaller but more effective presence in the wider region.
