ATHENS (Reuters) -The United States is eager to advance energy ties with Greece and see the country become a key energy gateway to Europe, the new U.S. ambassador to the country, Kimberly Guilfoyle,
US eager to advance energy ties with Greece, new ambassador says
ATHENS (Reuters) -The United States is eager to advance energy ties with Greece and see the country become a key energy gateway to Europe, the new U.S. ambassador to the country, Kimberly Guilfoyle, said on Wednesday.
Greece has ramped up purchases of U.S. liquefied natural gas and built a second LNG terminal as it seeks to establish itself as a major transit route for U.S. imported gas into Europe.
European states are due to wean themselves off Russian gas from 2027 under new sanctions against Moscow for its war in Ukraine.
U.S. Energy and Interior Secretaries Chris Wright and Doug Burgum, senior executives of major U.S. energy companies and energy ministers from central Europe were expected to participate in a U.S.-led conference in Athens this week to discuss energy security and infrastructure investment.
Guilfoyle said the so-called Vertical Gas Corridor - a gas transportation scheme backed by Greece, Ukraine, Moldova, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary - would bring energy security. It aims to allow increased flows of imported LNG from Greek terminals northwards into central Europe and Ukraine, via the underused Transbalkan pipeline.
The U.S. will have the chance to sell more gas to Europe following a trade deal in July where Europe pledged to buy $250 billion in U.S. energy - oil, liquefied natural gas and nuclear technology - annually for the next three years.
(Reporting by Angeliki KoutantouEditing by Alexandra Hudson)
