The United States is seeking to deepen its strategic cooperation with Greece in the energy sector – and beyond – attributing to our country a key role in Europe’s independence from Russian natural gas. This is emphasized in an exclusive statement to parapolitika.gr by Doug Bergum, US Secretary of the Interior and head of the National Energy Sovereignty Council. Mr. Bergum, along with Energy Secretary Chris Wright, will arrive in Athens the day after tomorrow, Wednesday, to participate in the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC), which will be held Thursday and Friday at the Zappeion. This is a forum established through the initiative of former US Energy Secretary Rick Perry, within the framework of the Three Seas Initiative.
A former governor of North Dakota, Mr. Bergum had earned Donald Trump’s trust due to his strong business acumen: As president of Great Plains Software, he managed to sell the company in 2001 to Microsoft for $1.1 billion. In 2024, he had sought the Republican nomination for the presidential election, however he later withdrew and supported Trump’s candidacy.
Doug Bergum’s complete statement to parapolitika.gr is as follows: “Greece sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, making it a crucial ally in advancing energy security for the United States and Eastern Europe. Through the continued development of its energy infrastructure—including an ever-expanding network of liquefied natural gas facilities and regional pipelines—Greece is emerging as a pivotal hub for enhancing energy resilience and reducing dependence on adversarial sources, as demonstrated by the European Union’s decisive move to end imports of Russian natural gas. By further deepening strategic cooperation with Greece, the United States can help ensure a stable, reliable, and competitive energy future that will strengthen transatlantic ties, promote mutual economic development, and fuel innovation in emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence.”
Strategic US choice for Athens to become an energy hub
The choice of Athens for the P-TEC conference, the simultaneous presence of two Trump administration ministers, and the message sent by Bergum’s exclusive statement to parapolitika.gr, reinforce the US strategic choice to invest in Athens as a future energy hub for the broader region. Just days ago, EU member state Energy Ministers approved the new REPowerEU regulation, which provides for the gradual ban of all Russian natural gas imports (via pipelines and ships) by January 1, 2028. From then on, Europe’s natural gas market will be permanently closed to Russia, opening new opportunities for the US, which wants to utilize our country as a key entry point for American natural gas into the European market.
“Greece at the center of international energy developments”
P-TEC’s goal is to strengthen energy interconnectivity, security, and cooperation between Central and Eastern European countries and the United States. This American initiative focuses on joint energy infrastructure (electricity networks, pipelines, transportation), aiming to create a sustainable, resilient, and collaborative energy market that will deliver economic, environmental, and social benefits. “Greece on November 6 and 7 will be at the center of international energy developments,” emphasized Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou, speaking Saturday to the newspaper “Parapolitika,” who will also be present and speak at the conference.
“The Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) ministerial meeting, hosted by the Greek government, will bring together more than 25 Energy Ministers from both sides of the Atlantic—including US Interior Secretary Doug Bergum and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright—as well as over 400 high-ranking American and European officials and company representatives,” Mr. Papastavrou stated, adding: “Beyond the undeniable business value, this event highlights our homeland’s geopolitical position as a strategic energy partner of the US in the broader Southeast Mediterranean region. Following Chevron’s participation with HelleniqEnergy in hydrocarbon exploration in 4 of our maritime areas, energy is emerging as a lever for upgrading our country’s role and further strengthening our excellent bilateral relations.”
The P-TEC agenda
On P-TEC’s first day, Thursday, participating Ministers, institutional representatives, international organizations, and executives from leading energy sector companies from America, Europe, and Greece will discuss new energy trends and the formation of conditions for a secure, sustainable, and competitive energy market. The proceedings will open with speeches by Mr. Papastavrou and Wright, and it’s worth noting that among the thematic sessions to be discussed in panels are: the role of natural gas in Europe’s new energy geography, the vertical natural gas corridor, attracting capital for energy infrastructure investments, energy’s contribution to artificial intelligence development, strengthening energy system resilience, and emerging technologies. Of particular importance is the panel dedicated to Greece, where Mr. Papastavrou will present achievements as well as long-term and medium-term planning in the energy sector.
