Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday that Greece’s latest energy initiatives will significantly enhance its geopolitical standing, as the country takes on a larger role in US-backed efforts to reshape Europe’s gas supply.
Mitsotakis briefed President Konstantinos Tasoulas on recent moves that place Greece at the center of regional energy developments, including an agreement enabling Ukraine to import US liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Greek infrastructure.
Greece last week became the first EU country to actively participate in Washington’s plan to replace Russian gas with American LNG. Under the deal, US shipments will be routed through Greece from next month until March 2026 via the “Vertical Corridor,” a newly activated network of pipelines, LNG terminals and storage facilities linking Greece with Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine and Moldova.
Mitsotakis said the agreement marks Greece’s shift “from being a peripheral player in energy matters” to “becoming a leading actor.”
He also highlighted Greece’s decision to open its waters to gas exploration for the first time in more than 40 years, under a cooperation framework involving ExxonMobil, Energean and HelleniQ Energy. Exploratory drilling is expected within the next 18 months in offshore areas east of Corfu.
“On the one hand, Greece becomes a gateway for American natural gas to the European continent, reaching even Ukraine,” Mitsotakis said. “On the other, we are launching major initiatives to explore natural gas deposits in our own country… for the first time in four decades.”
He said the developments “shield the country geopolitically and energetically” and show that the government’s efforts to upgrade Greece’s international role are yielding “specific and tangible results.”
Mitsotakis added that potential discoveries could strengthen public finances “for decades,” attract new investment and broaden Greece’s energy mix. He stressed that the benefits “concern the country as a whole, not only the government,” noting that Greece is gaining influence amid wider geopolitical turbulence.
The US-supported LNG initiative aims to secure energy supplies for Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, as part of a broader strategy to eliminate reliance on Russian gas.