Rubio visits Iceland, Greece and Portugal for NATO security talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is touring three NATO allies from 5 to 8 October for talks on Russia, the Middle East and defence cooperation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a four-day tour of three NATO allies on Monday, flying to Iceland, Greece and Portugal for talks covering security, defence, energy and economic cooperation, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported. The visit comes with NATO governments watching Russian military activity closely while the war in the Middle East continues, RFE/RL said.
Rubio's first stop was Reykjavik, where he was expected to raise Arctic security and economic ties with Icelandic officials, according to RFE/RL. Iceland keeps no standing army of its own, but it has worked with the US and NATO on security matters since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, a former US ambassador to the country told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity.
Robert Gerber, a former US diplomat who served at the embassy in Reykjavik, said Russian military aircraft have for years flown close to Iceland and circled the island, apparently timing how quickly NATO jets would respond, before heading home. "The threat is real there, and it's been there for a long time," he told RFE/RL, adding that submarine activity in the surrounding waters remains a continuing concern.
From Iceland, Rubio travels to Athens to lead the US delegation at the sixth US-Greece Strategic Dialogue on 6 and 7 October, a framework set up in 2018 to cover defence, energy and other cooperation, RFE/RL reported. Geoffrey Pyatt, a former US ambassador to Greece and Ukraine, said the dialogue was created to advance bilateral ties independently of other regional relationships, according to RFE/RL. Talks in Athens are expected to touch on the facilities Greece provides under its Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement with Washington, as well as Ukraine and the Middle East.
The final stop, Lisbon, will focus on defence, economic development and technology cooperation, the US State Department said, according to RFE/RL. Eric Green, a former White House National Security Council official who served in Iceland, said Icelandic officials would want reassurance that Washington has dropped what he called "spurious" claims on Greenland, and would welcome a stronger US push to help Ukraine as the war with Russia continues.
What we know
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is touring Iceland, Greece and Portugal from 5 to 8 October for talks on security, defence and economic cooperation.
- The trip comes as NATO allies watch Russian military activity closely while the war in the Middle East continues, RFE/RL reports.
- In Athens, Rubio will lead the sixth US-Greece Strategic Dialogue on 6-7 October, covering defence, Ukraine and the Middle East.
- In Lisbon, talks will focus on defence, economic development and technology cooperation, the State Department says.
- A former US diplomat said Russian aircraft have long tested NATO response times near Iceland, and that submarine activity in the area remains a concern.
Not yet confirmed
- Gazeta Express's description of Russia and the Middle East as the central focus of the whole tour has not been confirmed beyond the Iceland and Greece legs.
Why it matters for Europe
The three stops cover different flanks of NATO's relationship with Washington: Iceland's place in North Atlantic and Arctic security, Greece's position in the Eastern Mediterranean, and Portugal's long-standing role in US military operations across the Atlantic, RFE/RL reported.
Sources
Reported by 2 reports from 2 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Rubio Heads To NATO Allies As Russian Threat, Middle East War Shape Agenda
- Gazeta Express: Rusia dhe Lindja e Mesme në fokus të turneut evropian të Rubios
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Which countries is Rubio visiting?
- Iceland, Greece and Portugal, from 5 to 8 October.
- What is the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue?
- A framework launched in 2018 for US-Greece cooperation on defence, energy and other issues, with its sixth round held in Athens on 6-7 October.
- Why does Iceland matter to NATO?
- Iceland hosts Keflavik Air Base and plays a role in North Atlantic and Arctic security despite having no standing army.
This article was written with AI assistance from 2 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.