The Greek Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, paid an official visit to Washington, D.C., where on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, he held high-level meetings with senior U.S. defence officials and political stakeholders, while also participating in the Delphi Economic Forum Washington D.C. VII.

During his visit, Minister Dendias met with the U.S. Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, as well as with the Under Secretary of War for Policy, Elbridge Colby. The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere and focused on the excellent state of Greek-American defence cooperation, both bilaterally and within the NATO framework. The discussions also explored prospects for further collaboration in defence innovation and the defence industrial sector.

During the meeting, Minister Dendias formally invited Secretary Hegseth to pay an official visit to Greece, an invitation that was accepted. Emphasizing the importance of such a visit, the Greek minister noted that visits by U.S. defence secretaries to Greece are relatively rare and would represent a significant milestone in bilateral relations.

In his public statement following the meeting, Minister Dendias outlined Greece’s strategic outlook and security priorities, highlighting the challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean and the broader region. He presented Greece’s ongoing reform of its Armed Forces under the “Agenda 2030” framework and referred to key defence agreements with the United States, including the procurement of F-35 fighter aircraft, stressing the importance of their effective implementation for the operational readiness of the Hellenic Armed Forces.

Minister Dendias also held discussions with senior officials and lawmakers in Washington. These included meetings at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, where regional security challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean were discussed, as well as meetings with U.S. Senator Jerry Moran and Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, focusing on strengthening Greek-U.S. defence relations.

Within the framework of the Delphi Economic Forum, Minister Dendias participated in a high-level discussion on NATO, the Eastern Mediterranean, and U.S. strategic engagement, underlining Greece’s role as a key pillar of stability and security in the region. On the sidelines of the forum, he also met with the Foreign Minister of Cyprus, Konstantinos Kombos, reaffirming close coordination between Greece and Cyprus on regional security matters.