The 3+1 partnership linking Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States will hold its next ministerial meeting in Washington this April, Greece’s energy minister said during a visit to the capital this week, underscoring the administration’s growing focus on Eastern Mediterranean energy security.
Stratos Papastavrou made the announcement at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where he outlined a broader effort by Athens to deepen regional cooperation, advance cross-border electricity projects and position Greece as a reliable hub in Europe’s accelerating energy transition.
The visit came at a moment when governments across the region are reassessing supply routes and strategic alignments in response to shifting Middle Eastern dynamics and Europe’s ongoing effort to break from Russian gas. Papastavrou said Greece hopes to anchor part of that reconfiguration, placing particular emphasis on infrastructure that can move natural gas and renewable electricity toward European markets.
The 3+1 Framework Takes Shape
Papastavrou described the 3+1 as an emerging regional architecture among countries that “respect rules and avoid confrontation.” He said the April meeting is expected to concentrate on infrastructure expansion and improving the flow of natural gas and electricity into Europe.
East Med Pipeline Stalls, Vertical Corridor Advances
The minister acknowledged that the long-discussed East Med pipeline has lost momentum and lacked strong backing from a previous United States administration. But he argued that a north–south alternative known as the vertical corridor is already improving shipments of American liquefied natural gas to European buyers.
A New Electrical Link Across the Sea
Papastavrou highlighted the Great Sea Interconnector, a major electricity link connecting Israel, Cyprus and Greece that he said would end Cyprus’s electrical isolation. The European Union has approved its largest-ever contribution to a cross-border electricity project, and Athens is seeking additional support from Gulf partners to widen its base of investors.
Greece and the IMEC Corridor
Turning to the emerging India–Middle East–Europe corridor, often referred to as IMEC, Papastavrou said India is seeking a stable entry point into European markets and that Greece is well positioned to serve as one. He noted that intensifying global competition for critical minerals essential to clean energy and advanced computing has increased the corridor’s strategic value, particularly as China maintains a dominant position in supply chains.
Artificial Intelligence and Europe’s Rising Energy Demand
AI, the minister said, is reshaping global energy needs as data centers and high-performance computing systems consume unprecedented amounts of electricity. Europe, he argued, will need abundant and competitively priced power to remain technologically competitive. He pointed to the planned Greece–Egypt interconnection as an example of how Europe could tap new sources of renewable energy to support the demands of the digital economy.
A Direct Message to Ankara
Papastavrou also delivered a pointed message to Turkey, warning that its confrontational posture is a pathway that “leads to isolation, not influence.” He said lasting stability in the Eastern Mediterranean requires adherence to international norms, after years of disputes over maritime boundaries and resource rights.
Libya and the Question of Energy Rules
Papastavrou was also asked about the decision by the eastern Libyan authorities to recognize the “maritime memorandum” signed with Turkey. He noted that although Athens considers the memorandum a stark violation of international law, Libya’s own actions have in practice acknowledged the median-line principle that governs maritime delimitation. That, he said, underscores a broader reality: any state seeking to operate in the global petroleum industry ultimately has to align with established international norms.
He went on to say that should Libya attempt to challenge offshore areas that companies such as Chevron have identified for exploration, the response from the industry would be immediate and predictable. Major firms, he said, do not operate in environments where legal boundaries are uncertain, and they would simply shift their investments elsewhere. The lesson, he argued, is that energy development is driven by stable, internationally recognized rules, not unilateral claims or politically motivated documents.
