A very interesting television interview and two important meetings comprised yesterday’s agenda for Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou, who is in the United States with the goal of advancing existing agreements, discussing available opportunities to create conditions for new investments, and informing American citizens about Greece’s upgraded geopolitical role in Europe’s new energy landscape.
During the meeting between Mr. Papastavrou and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, they agreed on the need to create a working group for Vertical Corridor issues, with the first meeting of participating countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova, Ukraine) scheduled for December 10. Subsequently, Mr. Papastavrou met with the president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), John Giovanovich, where they discussed the bank’s 100 billion euro financing program developed for Europe and Eastern Mediterranean countries. The EXIM president emphasized the bank’s steady focus on critical raw materials, with the Greek minister highlighting the development of gallium in Greece as a critical mineral resource. Notably, Mr. Giovanovich extended an invitation to Mr. Papastavrou to participate as a speaker at the bank’s annual conference, which will take place in April 2026.
Papastavrou: Greece is a pillar
Earlier, in an interview Mr. Papastavrou gave to the “Varney & Co” show on American television station Fox Business, he emphasized that “from the Aegean to the Atlantic, energy is changing the geopolitical architecture and Greece is the central pillar in this new architecture.” He also added that during his meeting with Interior Secretary and head of the US Energy Dominance Council, Doug Bergum, they discussed specific plans for Europe’s complete liberation from Russian gas and its replacement with American LNG. “And this is happening through Greece, which has the appropriate infrastructure – Revythousa and the FSRU in Alexandroupoli -, has the ideal geographical position, is located at the crossroads of three continents, has a strong economy and political stability and serves as the gateway for American LNG to Central Europe,” he noted. When asked if contracts have been signed for the supply of American LNG, Mr. Papastavrou answered affirmatively and recalled that recently in Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ office in Athens, an agreement was signed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, where “Naftogaz, DEPA and AKTOR agreed to bring American LNG for February and March – approximately 0.3 billion cubic meters – to support the Ukrainian people.” “And the agreement was made in the presence of the US ambassador, Mrs. Guilfoyle, who has played a decisive role in this energy restructuring,” he noted.
Published in Apogevmatini
