Energy ministers from the United States and European countries convened on Thursday in Greece to discuss the enhanced regional pipeline network aimed at improving gas supply to war-torn Ukraine. This gathering coincides with the Trump administration’s strategy to increase liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum participated in the meeting held in Athens, hosted by the Atlantic Council, a reputable Washington-based think tank. Over 80 officials from the US joined them, as did European Union energy ministers and executives from leading American LNG companies.
In response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, EU member states have worked diligently to adapt their pipeline infrastructure to reduce reliance on Russian gas exports, seeking alternative supplies from the US and other significant providers.
As a result, attention has turned to the Vertical Corridor, a north-south gas route that connects Greece with Bulgaria and Romania. The Vertical Corridor facilitates this transition, linking LNG terminals situated near Athens and in northern Greece.
The Trump administration is seeking to capitalise on the United States’ status as the world’s leading LNG exporter to encourage the EU to increase its procurement of US gas, while also linking energy exports to broader trade negotiations. Secretary Wright expressed support for the European Commission’s initiative to eliminate all Russian gas supplies to the EU within the next two years.
He highlighted that this initiative will “both starve the Russian war machine and build a growing future relationship” between European nations and the United States.
“They have five pipelines that come to Europe and one pipeline that goes to China,” he said, referring to Russia.
Europe is currently the largest market for American LNG (liquefied natural gas) and is focused on eliminating all Russian gas supplies over the next two years.
“Greece is blessed with a very unique geographic location, and we are the natural entry point for American liquefied natural gas into Europe,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said late Wednesday, meeting the US officials.
“The vertical corridor is a project of great geopolitical and economic importance to us,” he said. “We’re happy that it’s becoming a reality.”
On Thursday, ExxonMobil partnered with Greek energy firms Helleniq Energy and Energean for oil and gas exploration in the Ionian Sea off Greece’s western coast.
This article used information from The Associated Press
