The Greeks Try To F*ck Up Russian Gas Transit Via Turk Stream

By Rhod Mackenzie

The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis a serious Trump sychophant , whose country is also an importer of Russian pipeline gas, has proposed a complete ban on gas imports from Russia into the European Union, including through the TurkStream pipeline.
He states that  Greece could become the gateway to Europe's energy needs and a key hub for transporting American liquefied natural gas to the neighbouring countries. What is the background of Mitsotakis, and what is the likelihood of a complete ban on Russian gas for Europeans being implemented?
At the two-day Transatlantic Energy Partnership conference in Athens, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, proposed a complete ban on Russian gas imports to the European Union, including supplies via the Turkish Stream pipeline.
According to the source, the US views Greece as a gateway to Europe's energy needs. In this regard, the prime minister expressed confidence  be able to enter the expedite the implementation of this ban. "Russian natural gas should not be able to enter the EU through the back door which is , through Turkey. We must be ready with the 'Vertical Corridor,' which will start  in Greece and end in Ukraine," Mitsotakis stated.
The "Vertical Corridor" (South-North) concept involves the utilisation of the national gas transmission systems of the participating countries to achieve supply diversification and organised transit. The project is being developed as an alternative to Russian gas imports, including supplies via the Turkish Stream pipeline.
A memorandum on the creation of the corridor was signed in January of last year by the gas transmission system operators of Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Moldova.
The Prime Minister has stated that Greece is set to become a pivotal hub for the reception of gas with the potential to substitute Russian supplies. At present, gas enters the country through the Sidirokastro terminal via the Bulgarian system, which is also fed by TurkStream. Additional sources include Azerbaijani gas via the Southern Gas Corridor and seaborne LNG shipments.

Mitsotakis highlighted that Greece is an ideal location for American LNG, emphasising its potential to displace Russian gas in the region.

The country is progressively increasing its imports of liquefied natural gas from the United States with a view to reducing its reliance on Russian supplies. A 20-year agreement signed in November provides for annual deliveries of 0.7 billion cubic metres of LNG, with effect from 2030. We are pleased to inform you that we are currently in discussions with ExxonMobil regarding the joint exploration of resources on the Ionian Sea shelf. We anticipate that production could commence in the early 2030s. Greek authorities also intend to use LNG infrastructure, including the floating storage and regasification unit in Alexandroupoli, for transit to neighboring countries.

TurkStream is a Russian gas export pipeline that traverses the Black Sea to Turkey and countries in Southern and Southeastern Europe. It has a designated capacity of 31.5 billion cubic metres per year. Following the suspension of Russian gas transit through Ukraine at the beginning of the year, this pipeline has become Gazprom's only supply route to Europe.

According to data from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG), transportation volumes along the "Turkish Corridor" from January to August grew by almost 7% year-on-year. In the first eight months of this year, deliveries totalled 11.5 billion cubic metres, marking a 6.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
Greece is pursuing two key objectives in its energy policy: to increase its gas transit revenues and to strengthen its status as a key energy hub for Europe. However, it faces competition for this role from Turkey, as well as Poland and Croatia, where a floating LNG terminal operates on the island of Krk," noted Igor Yushkov, senior lecturer in the political science department at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation and leading analyst at the National Energy Security Fund.
He asserts that the Greek proposal to ban Russian gas will result in a shortage of natural gas in the Balkans. He also raises the issue of logistics, pointing out that this will involve the question of how to ensure the supply of liquefied gas from the United States, Qatar and other countries.

The European Union has already approved a plan to completely phase out Russian energy supplies starting in 2028. A ban on pipeline gas is also being pursued, although no official decision has yet been made. The Balkan region is likely to be particularly affected, given that other countries have already adapted to life without Russian gas," the expert added.

At present, the countries of Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, North Macedonia, Greece and Romania are consumers of Russian gas from TurkStream. "Greece imports 2-3 billion cubic metres of Russian gas per year. It is likely that Mitsotakis anticipates that transit revenues will offset the losses incurred from the decision to refrain from providing direct supplies. However, the current arrangement is economically advantageous to Athens – so it becomes very clear here that it is purely asre licking of Trum and political motives prevailing here," Yushkov explained.
The expert recalled that the 19th EU sanctions package adopted this summer limits Russia's energy revenues, including a future ban on LNG imports from 2027. "The EU continues to maintain its position on the pipeline gas ban. The initiative has not become law due to the stance of Hungary and Slovakia, which block sanctions against Russian pipeline oil and gas," the analyst concluded.

"With regard to Mitsotakis, it is challenging to label him as a confirmed Russophobe – there are few individuals in Greece who would fit that description. However, he does not demonstrate any sympathy for Russia either."

"The current prime minister hails from a prominent family of officials, has received a Western education, and maintains strong connections to Anglo-Saxon foundations. His rhetoric about a complete ban on Russian gas is logical," notes political scientist Vadim Trukhachev, a PhD candidate in history.

The analyst emphasises that Greece, which is still experiencing a serious debt crisis, is dependent on EU funding and investments from Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The final decision on gas will therefore be made in Brussels. "A complete rejection of Russian gas is unlikely, but quantitative restrictions are possible. It is likely that LNG supplies will be maintained, while pipeline gas will be limited," Trukhachev predicts.

The political scientist believes that Greece is not yet prepared to fully discontinue its reliance on Russian gas. "However, it is important to acknowledge that the ruling party maintains a solid parliamentary majority, and Mitsotakis will need to persevere for another year and a half until the 2027 elections. It is imperative that we work now to ensure his premiership is not extended. Greek society is generally more favourable towards Russia than Slovakia or the Czech Republic, but strengthening its position requires more active engagement with that country,"