U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said American natural gas could flow through Europe’s Vertical Corridor to reduce reliance on Russian energy and strengthen U.S. allies.

Speaking at a Breitbart News event, according to the outlet’s reporting, Burgum said Greece is preparing to launch offshore natural gas exploration near several islands early next year. He added that the Vertical Corridor would enable gas supplies to flow into Greece and onward to Eastern Europe and Ukraine, with the aim of “cutting off the Russians” by reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian gas and oil.

Burgum also claimed Europe’s gas infrastructure remains heavily tied to Russia and suggested that opposition to pipelines and AI data centers may not always be “organic and local.”

Germany’s “Green Dream”
Turning to Germany, Burgum criticized the country’s energy transition, arguing that the shutdown of nuclear and coal plants — driven in part by Green Party influence — had weakened the economy. He claimed Germany now produces less electricity, faces higher energy costs, and is undergoing deindustrialization after spending “half a trillion dollars” on its “green dream.”

AI Demands More Power, Not Less
Burgum also linked the rise of AI to growing energy demand, arguing that AI infrastructure requires far more electricity than conventional data centers. He warned that high energy costs could deter investment, pointing to Germany’s increasing reliance on imported French nuclear and Polish coal-generated power when domestic supply falls short.

U.S. LNG and Ukraine’s Storage Potential
Burgum also described a broader north-south energy corridor that could transport U.S. natural gas across Europe, highlighting Ukraine’s vast underground storage capacity as a strategic advantage. He said the facilities could be filled during the summer, when gas prices are lower, helping strengthen Europe’s energy security and transatlantic ties.

The Role of Greece and Revithoussa
Burgum said he and Energy Secretary Chris Wright had met with European counterparts, arguing that many U.S. allies remain heavily dependent on Russian gas. Referring to Greece’s Revithoussa LNG Terminal, he noted that most recent LNG cargoes had come from the United States, adding that a single tanker could heat 200,000 German homes for a year. He described the Vertical Corridor as part of a broader strategy to supply energy to U.S. allies instead of rivals.