Greece is positioning itself as a central energy hub for south-eastern Europe, as Energy and Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou told a Washington summit the country has "turned its geography into geopolitical power" through the development of the Vertical Corridor.
Speaking ahead of the Transatlantic Summit on Natural Gas Security and the Vertical Corridor, organised in Washington by the Donald Trump Peace Institute during his visit to the United States, Papastavrou described the project as a "strategic cooperation" that strengthens energy security, broadens Europe's options and upgrades Greece's role on the European energy map.
"Greece laid the foundations for the Vertical Corridor. With planning, determination and investments in critical infrastructure, the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis turned what had long remained a prospect into reality," he said, arguing that Athens has leveraged its credibility and stability to attract investment and deepen partnerships.
The Vertical Corridor is a network of gas interconnections and LNG infrastructure linking Greece with Bulgaria, Romania and beyond, enabling northward flows of liquefied natural gas arriving at Greek terminals. At a time when Europe continues to reduce its dependence on Russian pipeline gas, the corridor is designed to enhance supply diversification and improve coordination across regional energy grids.
Papastavrou highlighted the involvement of major US energy companies, stating that "with Chevron, with Exxon Mobil, with the Vertical Corridor, Greece is getting stronger". He added that the strategy would translate into more investment, new jobs and a boost to the Greek economy.
According to the minister, Greece "does not follow developments, but shapes them", presenting the country's energy diplomacy as part of a broader effort to deepen US-EU cooperation on LNG and critical infrastructure. His visit follows agreements signed under the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation, which aim to reinforce supply security and energy diversification in south-eastern Europe.
