Greece and the United States have reaffirmed their strategic energy alliance during a meeting between Greek Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.
The discussions centered on the Greece-Cyprus-Israel electricity interconnector, a geopolitically critical project that recently garnered bipartisan support from U.S. lawmakers, including Reps. Brad Schneider and Gus Bilirakis.
Mr. Papastavrou briefed Mrs. Hooker on the project's progress, emphasizing Greece's growing role as an anchor of energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Domestically, the Greek energy transition received a massive boost as the European Commission and the European Investment Bank approved a €2.3 billion Decarbonization Fund for the Greek islands.
The sweeping initiative allocates €1.1 billion for new electrical interconnections across the Aegean, €977 million for renewable energy and storage projects, €200 million for multi-purpose dams, and €56 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The bilateral meeting sets the stage for further regional integration.
On Friday, gas grid operators will gather in Thessaloniki to sign a memorandum of understanding expanding the Vertical Gas Corridor to North Macedonia and Serbia, broadening a network that already includes Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Ukraine.