Greece is rapidly solidifying its position as the central gateway for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) into Europe, following high-level talks in Washington focused on financing critical infrastructure to replace Russian energy supplies.
Senior U.S. officials met this week with Alexandros Exarchou, CEO of AKTOR and head of Atlantic Sea LNG Trade SA, to finalize plans for broadening an existing agreement with American energy giant Venture Global.
The discussions, which included meetings at the White House, centered on extending supply routes through Greece to Northern Europe, bypassing traditional transit lines.
Sources familiar with the negotiations indicate the U.S. is poised to play a key role in financing the expansion of Greek ports and storage facilities, viewing Athens as the linchpin of its export strategy.
"We need larger quantities than Venture Global alone can guarantee," Mr. Exarchou told Bloomberg in a recent interview.
He estimated that Greece will require contracts with two or three U.S. suppliers for the 2026–2030 period to meet demand.
Mr. Exarchou also emphasized that Greece must secure a second floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) before 2030. This infrastructure is deemed essential to support a new energy corridor supplying Romania, Ukraine, and Moldova.
The talks align with the broader strategy of President Donald Trump’s administration to permanently phase out European reliance on Russian natural gas.
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy Joshua Volz stated that rapid public-private coordination is now crucial "to ensure sufficient American LNG flows into Europe through Greece."
Highlighting the diplomatic weight of the partnership, Mr. Exarchou attended a reception at the White House and the Kennedy Center Honors gala on Sunday, hosted by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. Formal announcements regarding the new financing deals are expected later this year.