Greece has cemented its position as a central energy hub between the United States and Europe, following a flurry of landmark deals unveiled at the Transatlantic Energy Cooperation Conference,.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the agreements "a historic step," saying "energy is now inseparable from geopolitics and geo-economics."
The first deal, signed between ExxonMobil, Energean, and HelleniQ Energy, authorizes the first exploratory gas drilling in Greece in nearly 40 years.
The project will be located at Block 2 in the Ionian Sea. "Today we write a new chapter in Greece’s energy history," Mr. Mitsotakis said.
The second, larger agreement involves Atlantic-See LNG Trade (Aktor-DEPA) for the supply and transport of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG).
This deal gives substance to the "Vertical Corridor" project, creating a network to link Greek LNG terminals in Revithoussa and Alexandroupolis north to Central and Eastern Europe, including Romania and Ukraine.
The Athens summit was attended by a high-level U.S. delegation, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas. The deals align with the U.S. administration's strategy of using energy exports as an instrument of geopolitical influence to reduce European reliance on Russian gas.
U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle was reportedly instrumental in brokering the LNG agreement with Venture Global.
"The partnership between the United States and Greece is not just diplomatic — it’s transformative," Ms. Guilfoyle said at the close of the conference.
"Greece is now at the heart of a new transatlantic energy map."
Mr. Mitsotakis added that the U.S. presence reflects "a strong vote of confidence" and that Greece is no longer a peripheral player but a "geostrategic pivot" in the new U.S.-European energy architecture.