U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, speaks next to Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis during a joint press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Athens, Greece. (AP Photo)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Oct. 7 called for the nations of the West to return to their civilizational roots and restore the values that drove the rise of Europe and North America to global dominance for centuries.
In Athens to discuss deepening economic, energy and security cooperation with Greece, Rubio delivers a speech later on Oct. 7 overlooking the ruins of the Acropolis, a widely recognizable symbol of the city’s ancient civilization associated with the creation of popular participatory government and the social contract.
Rubio reminded listeners of qualities he says were born in Greece and later defined the West, such as curiosity, courage, ambition and a restless spirit of exploration and discovery of the unknown.
“It has become fashionable today to believe that enlightened foreign policy means prioritizing the ‘global community’ over one’s own people. Here, too, we have much more to learn from the men of
Ancient Greece. They knew that there was nothing selfish or wrong about loyalty to your nation, nor in fighting to defend its interests above all else,” Rubio said.
“The course we take will determine whether the West maintains its place at the head of the world, or resigns itself to a future of atrophy, servitude, and decline. We will either choose to act now or lose the choice to act at all.”
During a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, the U.S. top diplomat hailed the ties with Athens.
“It’s a place that we have not just a military presence but strong economic ties,” he said.
In February, lease agreements were signed in Athens granting a consortium led by U.S. energy giant Chevron exclusive rights for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in maritime areas to the south of the Peloponnese and Crete.
Ahead of his visit to Athens, about 1,500 people gathered to protest Rubio’s presence and the war in Iran, chanting “American killers!”
