WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-NY), a member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus and Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, on March 15 took part in the Caucus’ meeting with government officials from Greece to discuss issues of importance to the U.S.-Greece relationship. Also present for the meeting were Caucus co-chair Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and member Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).

Attending were several members of Greece’s Parliament, a number of Ministers, as well as Greece’s National Security Advisor and Greece’s Ambassador to the United States.

The list of officials who attended included:

Ambassador of Greece to the United States Alexandra Papadopoulou, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Alternate Minister of Development and Investments Nikos Papathanasis, Members of Parliament George Koumoutsakos,

Anastasios Chatzivasileiou, and Dimitrios Kairidis, Minister Plenipotentiary Ioannis Miltiadis Nicolaidis, National Security Advisor Thanos Dokos, and Diplomatic Advisor to Main Opposition Leader Evangelos Kalpadakis.

The meeting took place late yesterday afternoon in the Rayburn Building on Capitol Hill, and the discussion included issues related to energy, foreign affairs, economic and defense cooperation and the crisis in Ukraine, among other topics.

“I thank the government delegation from Greece for meeting with me,” said Meng. “The U.S. and Greece share a deep and special relationship. They are a key ally, as demonstrated by their strong response to Putin’s invasion and support for the people of Ukraine. I look forward to our two countries’ ties strengthening even further.”