The United States ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, said Greece is emerging as a central hub in Southeast Europe's developing energy map and a key American partner in strengthening the region's energy security, speaking at the 10th Southeast Europe Energy Forum (SEEF2026) held in Thessaloniki.
In her remarks, Guilfoyle placed particular emphasis on the Vertical Corridor, the pipeline route that she said is gaining new momentum as it expands toward Serbia and North Macedonia. She said Greece sits at the center of a plan that aims to reshape energy flows across the entire region.
She said energy security is national security, adding that Greece plays a transformative role as the central hub of the Vertical Corridor, offering energy and geopolitical stability to the region.
According to Guilfoyle, American strategy seeks to shield allies through energy independence, with Greece now standing as one of the most significant examples of that policy in practice.
She pointed specifically to agreements reached in recent years for the supply of American liquefied natural gas, noting that cooperation between Athens and Washington is not limited to gas but extends across a wide range of energy investments. She also referred to agreements with energy giants ExxonMobil and Chevron, as well as initiatives tied to Greece's first offshore drilling in four decades.
She said the United States regards Greece as a very strong and stable strategic ally in the region, adding that Athens is an "active participant" in the new energy architecture taking shape across Europe.
The expansion of the Vertical Corridor
Guilfoyle gave particular weight to the signing of a memorandum of cooperation to expand the Vertical Corridor toward Serbia and North Macedonia, a development she said further upgrades Greece's geopolitical standing. She said the expansion genuinely broadens Greece's reach and importance in the region, and welcomed the participation of both countries in the project.
The Southeast Europe Energy Forum, now in its 10th year, brings together government officials, diplomats and energy executives from across the region. The Vertical Corridor is a north-south gas transport route intended to link Greece with Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Moldova, reducing reliance on Russian supply routes.
Guilfoyle described the project as part of a broader strategy to wean Europe off Russian energy, calling on Balkan governments to plan for the long term so that they do not remain energy-dependent on what she called malicious actors such as Russia.
Investments in ports, shipping and infrastructure
Guilfoyle also highlighted growing American investment interest in Greece, pointing to the US Development Finance Corporation's investment in the Port of Eleusis and to broader opportunities for cooperation in infrastructure and shipping. She said Washington recognizes Greece's particular geostrategic position and its potential as a gateway for energy and trade into Europe.
The Development Finance Corporation is the US government's development finance agency, which funds projects in strategically important sectors abroad, including energy and infrastructure. The Port of Eleusis lies near Athens on the Saronic Gulf.
She made specific mention of shipping, noting contacts held with leading Greek shipowners and discussions on the security of sea lanes and the transport of energy cargoes. Greece has one of the world's largest merchant shipping fleets.
From energy consumer to energy supplier
Guilfoyle said Greece has now transformed from an energy consumer into an energy supplier for the entire region, crediting the Greek side with a leading role in new gas interconnections and regional energy flows.
In that context, she referred to cooperation among Greece, the United States and Ukraine to supply Odesa with American liquefied natural gas via the Vertical Corridor during the energy crisis caused by the war. Odesa is a major Ukrainian port city on the Black Sea.
Rubio visit 'in a few weeks'
Guilfoyle also referred to upcoming high-level American visits to Athens, which she presented as a sign of the strategic importance the Trump administration places on Greece.
She said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be in Greece in just a few weeks, stressing that the choice of Athens for such a significant visit reflects the weight Washington gives to the bilateral relationship.
She added that the head of American diplomacy could be anywhere in the world given the multiple international crises underway, yet he is choosing to visit Greece because it is, in her words, a very important ally of the United States and a very important energy partner.
The 10th Southeast Europe Energy Forum, SEEF2026, is organized by the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Greece) and the Hellenic Association for Energy Economics (HAEE), in cooperation with the US Embassy in Greece and with the support of the Atlantic Council and the US Chamber of Commerce.
