US wants to establish bases on islands in Aegean Sea

The Turkish National Defence Ministry is closely following reports in Greek media that the US will establish new military bases on the Aegean Sea islands.

The US House of Representatives, at the suggestion of Democratic MP Grace Meng, included in the draft defence budget for 2024 an item "writing a research report on the establishment of new US bases in Greece, especially in the Aegean islands,” Milliyet reports, citing its sources.

According to the publication, this development sparked comments that the US, which wants to establish bases in the islands of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, has moved into action in both: the Greek press and the Turkish expert community.

The Pentapostagma newspaper published an article in which the US attempt to establish new bases on the Aegean islands is assessed as "controlling Russia and Türkiye and strengthening the role of Greece by reducing the strategic importance of the Dardanelles and the Istanbul Strait.

In connection with this information, the Turkish National Defence Ministry said: "We are following all developments around our country in terms of defence and security. At present, there is no final decision on the establishment of the base. But we are closely following the developments."

A source in the ministry drew attention to the confidence-building meetings with Greece and said, "Both sides are making efforts to maintain the positive atmosphere that has recently developed with Greece."