US to research potential of new bases in Aegean

By Hurriyet Daily News

The United States House of Representatives on Aug. 1 added an article to the draft of the 2024 defense budget bill to submit a research report for the establishment of new U.S. bases in Greece, especially on the Aegean islands.

With the proposal of New York Rep. Grace Meng, an amendment regarding the U.S. bases in Greece was added to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included the annual defense expenditures.

The report is to include an analysis of the potential for additional bases or expanded U.S. military presence in Greece, specifically on Greek islands.

In the amendment adopted by the House of Representatives, the U.S. defense and foreign ministries were asked to prepare a joint report on defense and security relations between Greece and the U.S. for the relevant committees of Congress within two months after the final defense budget is approved.

Meng thanked “the leadership of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus” for supporting her amendment and said she looks “forward to it becoming law.”

The amendment came as U.S. forces were granted access to five additional military bases in Greece under the expanded defense cooperation agreement signed by the two countries in October of 2021.