The Environment and Energy Minister, Stavros Papastathrou, discussed the significant contacts he had in the United States, the prospects for cooperation between the two countries, as well as the important role that Greece is called to play in shaping Europe’s energy future, in an interview he gave to Fox News television.
Papastathrou: US and Greece reshape Europe’s energy map under Trump and Mitsotakis leadership
Minister Papastathrou emphasized that “we had significant meetings this week. The US and Greece are not just strategic partners. They are reshaping Europe’s energy future through close and decisive cooperation, under the leadership of President Trump’s administration and Prime Minister Mitsotakis.”
He also reminded that for decades Central Europe was supplied with natural gas through pipelines that moved from east to west, and this resulted in significant energy dependence on Russian gas for landlocked countries.
“What we are doing now is creating a vertical corridor, a corridor of prosperity and peace, starting from the south, from Greece – which is blessed thanks to its geographical position – and continuing northward,” the Minister emphasized, underlining that we are now creating a resilient alternative solution for all these European countries against Russian gas. “And this is extremely important for peace and prosperity in the region,” he noted characteristically.
Papastathrou: “We are in the right place for American LNG entry into Europe”
Asked to comment on the recent statement by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright that Greece is the ideal entry point for American LNG into Europe, Mr. Papastathrou said categorically: “He is right, because we are in the right place. We have the geographical location. We have energy terminals. We have built many infrastructures. We have connectivity with all our neighboring countries.”
Additionally, he referred to the country’s political and economic stability, emphasizing that Greek growth exceeds the European average and that our country borrows cheaper than the US, France and Italy: “On Friday, five-year Greek bonds were trading at 2.6%, when the corresponding American ones are at 3.6%. Greece borrows cheaper than the US, France, Italy. So, Greece is a politically and economically stable country, in the right place, with the right infrastructure.”
Papastathrou: The US recognizes that Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greece are reliable and pragmatic partners who can contribute to reshaping Europe’s energy future
The Fox News Weekend Show presenter focused on the article recently written by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the Financial Times, and specifically on the point where he emphasizes that the green transition cannot be an end in itself, with Mr. Papastathrou underlining that “Prime Minister Mitsotakis is a leading voice in Europe for energy pragmatism. He said it clearly in his article: it cannot be an end in itself. We must take into account households, competitiveness. The US recognizes that Prime Minister Mitsotakis and Greece are a reliable and pragmatic partner who can contribute to reshaping Europe’s energy future.”
Papastathrou’s message on Piraeus port: Agreements must be honored – Focus on developing Elefsina port
When asked about Piraeus port, he replied that “it is important for Greece that agreements signed with foreign investors are honored. This is critical for any country that wants to attract investments. What we can do is examine alternative routes and different entry points through other ports. Elefsina can be one of them. We are already discussing this with the DFC and other organizations. As American interest increases, we also have incentives to develop new ports.”
“Government’s basic priority is port and infrastructure development”
And he added that “Greece is the center of all these routes, and we also have the so-called IMEC — the India-Middle East-Europe corridor — where Greece can play a decisive role in transporting goods from India, through the Middle East, to Europe. So, port and infrastructure development is a basic priority of our government.”
Finally, the Environment and Energy Minister mentioned that Greece, for the first time in 40 years and under Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ leadership, will have exploratory drilling. “ExxonMobil is active in the Ionian, and Chevron south of Crete. These two American giants are already active, and everything looks very encouraging for us. We hope there will be successful results for the benefit of the Greek people,” he concluded characteristically.
ANA-MPA
