Greece and the Florida National Guard signed a Letter of Intent on 7 October 2026, establishing a framework for long-term military cooperation under the United States’ State Partnership Program (SPP). Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the signing in Athens, where the document was signed by General Dimitrios Choupis, Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, and Major General John Haas, commander of the Florida National Guard. Also present were Greece’s Ambassador to the United States, Antonios Alexandridis, US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, and military staff. According to the Greek Ministry of National Defence, the signing formalises Greece’s participation in the programme and its partnership with Florida, providing a basis for exchanges of expertise, joint training and closer operational cooperation.

The partnership is linked to Greece’s broader efforts to reform its armed forces through the “Agenda 2030” programme. Speaking after the ceremony, Dendias said cooperation with the Florida National Guard would support the search for practices that could improve the operational capabilities of both the regular armed forces and the reserves. He identified the transfer of expertise, joint exercises and sustained contact between military personnel as opportunities offered by the arrangement. Dendias also described Rubio’s attendance as an indication of the close strategic relationship between Greece and the United States, while acknowledging Guilfoyle’s contribution to bringing the initiative to fruition. His remarks placed the partnership within the wider bilateral defence relationship and Greece’s ongoing military modernisation plans.

The anticipated scope of cooperation covers a range of military and emergency-response activities. Areas identified by the ministry include combined training and exercises, interoperability, command and control, joint fires and tactical manoeuvres, logistical support, air defence and air operations. Disaster response, space and cyber operations are also included among the fields of mutual interest. The partnership may additionally involve personnel visits, educational activities and exchanges of best practices, with individual activities coordinated annually. This approach provides for recurring engagement across several disciplines rather than a single exercise or training event. The precise content and sequence of activities remain subject to further coordination between the Greek armed forces and their Florida counterparts, as the two sides translate the broad areas outlined in the Letter of Intent into practical arrangements.

The next steps are expected to include defining the cooperation priorities in greater detail, preparing an annual programme of activities and arranging reciprocal visits. Joint training and other mutually agreed activities would then be introduced progressively. The ministry’s account presents the Letter of Intent as the foundation for an enduring relationship, with implementation to develop through successive exchanges and annual planning. For Greece, the stated emphasis is on drawing on relevant experience to support the operational goals of its defence reforms, including improvements to reserve capabilities. The signing therefore establishes the framework and intended direction of the partnership, while the detailed programme, timing and scale of its activities are to be determined through follow-up work between the participating organisations.