Political Relations

Greek-U.S. bilateral relations are founded on long-term cooperation and go back to the philhellene movement that was prevalent in Europe and America in the early 19th century, in support of the Greek people’s struggle for independence. The two countries’ common values – freedom and Democracy – and their fighting together in the two World Wars, as well as their participation in NATO, the OSCE and other international organizations and treaties, form the strong foundations of Greek-U.S. strategic cooperation.

The U.S. maintains Naval Support Activity in Souda Bay, Crete.

Greek citizens may visit the U.S. for tourism or professional reasons without a visa, following Greece’s inclusion in March 2010 in the Visa Waiver Program. Greek citizens wishing to visit the U.S. need only apply for authorization on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) web portal.

Frequent contacts, exchanges of visits and an extensive institutional framework contribute to the positive development of bilateral relations and enhanced cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including the political, economic, commercial, business and cultural sectors.

EU-U.S. relations within the framework of the Transatlantic Dialogue cover a wide range of political, economic and commercial issues, as well as security issues and institutionalized contacts and coordination on many levels.