Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece met with US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on Thursday in Athens to discuss the deepening strategic partnership between the two nations, with a particular focus on energy cooperation.
According to a government statement, the two leaders affirmed the “excellent level” of Greek-American relations. Mitsotakis highlighted Greece’s growing role as a crucial energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe, emphasizing its position as a key exporter of natural gas, electricity, and petroleum products.
During the meeting, he pointed to major infrastructure projects such as the Great Sea Interconnector and GREGY Interconnector as strategically vital. He also reiterated his proposal for a new energy and trade axis connecting Alexandroupolis with Odessa, which he first presented during a visit to the Ukrainian port city in June.
The prime minister also noted the timing of the meeting, which came just one day after US oil corporation Chevron submitted a bid for natural gas exploration off the coast of Crete. Mitsotakis framed this as a positive reaffirmation of Greece’s sovereign rights in the region.
US is committed to providing allies such as Greece with energy from American sources
In his remarks, Secretary Burgum, speaking on behalf of the Trump administration, thanked the prime minister for his hospitality and praised Greece as a strategic partner. He underscored the US goal of energy self-sufficiency and its commitment to providing allies with energy from American sources so they are not dependent on adversaries.
Burgum specifically highlighted Greece’s strategic importance due to its long history of shipping and its pipeline system, which allows it to serve as a vital corridor for providing energy security to Eastern and Southeastern Europe. He emphasized that the US is “absolutely committed to replacing Russian gas with American gas,” citing the hundreds of billions of dollars being invested in US LNG production and export infrastructure.
The two also discussed the significant role of Greek shipping in the global transport of LNG.
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