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[INTERNATIONAL] · Greece, Romania · 7 sources

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Kimberly Guilfoyle faces scrutiny over alleged remarks on political influence

Reports from the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times have sparked a political controversy in Greece regarding alleged comments made by US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle. During a private dinner in Athens on March 18, which included Greek Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou and over twelve other officials, Guilfoyle reportedly remarked on the US ability to influence political shifts.

According to the reports, while discussing the collapse of the Romanian government, Guilfoyle allegedly stated, “We can do this in any country we want. We can do it here too.” This prompted a heated exchange with Papastavrou, who responded that the US could not replace Greece’s democratically elected government.

Following the dinner, Guilfoyle reportedly traveled to Bucharest in late March to meet with officials from Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD). The discussions allegedly centered on promoting the Vertical Corridor energy axis and increasing the purchase of American liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The Greek government has stated there was “never a question of a threat against the Greek government,” and legal counsel for the US Ambassador has disputed the characterization of the conversation. Opposition parties in Greece have called for immediate clarification of the incident.

Entities

Greece · Ilie Bolojan · Kimberly Guilfoile · Kimberly Guilfoyle · Kyriakos Mitsotakis · Social Democratic Party · Stavros Papastavrou · United States Department of State · Wall Street Journal

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.