Greece-US energy cooperation strengthens via Vertical Corridor

Former US Ambassador to Athens Jeffrey Pyatt and Eddy Zemenidis, Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), have highlighted the strategic and economic importance of the Vertical Corridor gas project. Pyatt emphasized that the project aligns with the strategic goal of phasing out Russian natural gas in Europe, a priority intensified by the invasion of Ukraine and hybrid threats.

Zemenidis noted that both the Trump and Biden administrations worked to upgrade US-Greece relations, attracting major American corporations without directing projects toward specific entities. He described Greece's evolution from a problematic actor to a key geopolitical player, citing projects like the Great Sea Interconnector and Floating Storage Regasification Units (FSRUs) as essential for European energy independence. Both leaders stressed that energy cooperation extends beyond LNG to include decarbonization, battery storage, and regional interconnections.