Kimberly Guilfoyle, nominee for US Ambassador to Greece, emphasised Greece’s vital role as a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, July 9.
Pledging to be a tireless advocate for American interests and a dependable partner to Greek allies, Guilfoyle highlighted Greece’s strategic significance on NATO’s southern flank and its consistent commitment to defence spending.
She noted Greece’s projected investment of 3% of GDP in defence in 2025, potentially reaching 5%, and its acquisition of advanced US defence systems, including F-35 jets and Apache helicopters.
Guilfoyle underscored the strength of US-Greece defence ties, pointing to proposals for joint naval frigate production as a signal of long-term strategic collaboration.
If her appointment as Ambassador is confirmed, she said accelerating Greece’s defence upgrades and deepening cooperation between the two countries’ defence sectors would be top priorities.
Energy security was another key focus, with Guilfoyle describing Greece as an increasingly important energy hub.
She praised US-Greece collaboration on infrastructure like the Revythoussa LNG terminal and the Alexandroupolis FSRU, and voiced support for expanding American energy exports and regional electricity interconnections involving Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt.
On economic ties, she pledged to promote bilateral trade and investment, particularly in sectors like technology, defense, shipping, AI, and agriculture, while also encouraging Greek investment in the US.
Addressing regional security, Guilfoyle affirmed her intent to focus on protecting key US allies—Greece, Cyprus, and Israel—and expressed concern over Turkey’s exclusion from the F-35 program due to its purchase of Russian S-400 systems.
She contrasted Turkey’s actions with Greece’s reliability, calling Greece “a strong and unwavering ally.”
Guilfoyle concluded by expressing confidence in her readiness for the post, citing her close relationships with former Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis and current Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack.
