US President Donald Trump is planning an official visit to Greece, the US ambassador to Athens, Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle, announced on Sunday, indicating Washington's growing interest in the Southeast Mediterranean region.

Speaking during the presentation of the documentary film of US First Lady Melania Trump, Guilfoyle expressed her impatience to welcome the visit of the president and his wife.

"I know the President is coming, and I look forward to both of them, including Melania, visiting Greece," Guilfoyle said. "It would be a tremendous honor for the country."

She did not specify when the visit would take place or whether Trump would also visit neighboring countries of strategic importance to the US, such as Israel, Cyprus and Turkey.

However, the announcement itself has political significance for Southeast Europe, a region embroiled in tensions over maritime disputes, particularly between Greece and Turkey, and disputes over energy resources.

Since Trump’s reelection, American companies have increased their investments in gas and oil exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean. Guilfoyle has called Greece “a key player in Europe’s energy future.” Moreover, unlike some of the US’s EU partners, Greece supports Trump’s call for Europe to import more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US.

At the same time, Athens has revived relations with Israel and Cyprus to strengthen coordination on defense and energy. This revival is being watched carefully in Ankara, where officials worry that the trio could upset the regional balance of power.

After years of tensions in the Aegean, there are signs that Greek-Turkish relations may be improving. Last week, the two countries launched a high-level political dialogue, which will lead to a meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the first half of February.

Meanwhile, Ankara last week issued a long-term NAVTEX, a maritime security notice informing Athens that naval exercises and activities would be held in the area. Greece dismissed the Turkish NAVTEX as legally unenforceable and called it a political move to pressure Athens.

"The Turks are trying to prevent the Mitsotakis-Erdoğan meeting," said Angelos Syrigos, a lawmaker for the ruling New Democracy party.

However, growing American interest in the region's energy potential could reshuffle the cards and push the rivals toward a political solution.

Trump and Erdogan appear to have a shared understanding of the local balance of power, while Turkey, unlike Greece, joined Trump's Peace Board initiative.

A solution regarding Turkey's request to return to the US F-35 fighter jet program — from which it was excluded in 2019 after purchasing Russian S-400 air defense systems — may also be on the way.

“I believe these issues regarding the F-35 will be resolved within the next four to six months; the relationship between the two presidents is good,” said the US ambassador to Ankara, Tom Barrack. Greece and Israel have strongly opposed Turkey’s purchase of the F-35.

Turkey also remains at the center of US policy on Syria, with Trump underlining his close ties with Erdogan and ongoing security cooperation in the north of the country. Large parts of northern Syria have been under the control of Kurdish forces, who are opposed by Ankara, but that balance has recently shifted following Turkish-backed offensives.