ATHENS — After reports the United States wants to increase its military presence in Greece and add bases, American Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said that would further strengthen Southeast Europe and beyond, noting a recently renewed US-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation agreement.

Pyatt, whose mantra has been that Greece “is a pillar of security in the region,” said ties would get even tighter under President Joe Biden and Greece's New Democracy government as he said they did under former President Donald Trump and Greece's previous-ruling Radical Left SYRIZA.

Leftists leader and former premier Alexis Tsipras said he would end a US military presence and taken Greece out of NATO but reneged on both and tried to add to American military strength in the country.

Pyatt, speaking after the joint military exercise DEFENDER-Europe 21 in Petrochori, Northern Greece said that, “When the United States and Greece work together, as we have seen today, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. And both the region and our alliance are safer and more secure as a result,” reported Kathimerini.

He added that, “A stronger and more secure Greece is important to America’s interests in the region. And we look forward to taking our alliance to an even higher level under the Biden-Harris administration.”

He said that, “Both of our governments, at the highest level, are committed to extending the duration and reach of our Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement, reaffirming our resolve to advance joint security goals,” he stated, and revealed that the “United States is committed to deepening our military-to-military relationship with Greece, to the benefit of both our countries and the NATO Alliance.”

Pyatt praised Greece’s active participation and commitment to NATO, including its participation in more exercises in Bulgaria and North Macedonia.