Greece to extend base access deal with US military

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece says it’s extending a bilateral military agreement with the United States for five years. Officials from Greece’s center-right government argued that enhanced alliances within NATO will help stabilize the region rattled by Russia’s war in Ukraine and tension in the eastern Mediterranean. The agreement announced Thursday needs to be ratified by parliament and it will grant the U.S. military continued access to three bases in mainland Greece together with its long-standing naval presence on the island of Crete. It replaces an annual review of the deal with a five year rollover period.