The United States Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle, in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency conducted by journalist Sofia Papadopoulou, referred to the expanding energy cooperation between the US and Greece. She underscored Washington’s and President Trump’s strategic view of Greece’s role in the region, stating that “in terms of Greece, it was a platform, very important to the president, to have Greece as an energy hub here in this region.”

On the occasion of her recent visit to Thessaloniki, where she had a series of meetings and spoke at the anniversary dinner “SEVE: 50 Years of Extroversion”, she gave a clear indication of US policy on Greece’s role in energy, stability, and interconnectivity in Southeast Europe. She also said that American companies are keen to invest, highlighting Northern Greece as an emerging technology hub at a time when, as she noted, whoever controls energy will also control AI. She reaffirmed the stable and reliable nature of the Greek-American alliance.

Guilfoyle stressed the need to end the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and elsewhere, and referred to President Trump’s efforts in this direction. “We can never let it be normal. It has to be stopped. We have to do something about it. And that’s why I think what President Trump is doing is so important,” she stressed.

She also said that energy independence equates to national security. “I think with Greece having that energy independence and being the hub here, it really does provide regional stability, which impacts the world and the neighbours,” she noted, and added that “energy independence really does equate with national security. It does. And the most compelling example of that right now is what we’ve seen with Ukraine and Russia.”

The US ambassador to Greece also noted that energy dependence has been a key factor in destabilising the region. She also referred to her participation in the recent talks between President Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the agreement to supply American LNG to Ukraine, enabling the country to endure the winter and to sit with strength at the peace-negotiations table.

She also highlighted the growing US interest in energy, technology, and geostrategic projects in the region and said that a new “3+1” meeting (Greece, Cyprus, Israel, USA) will be held, dedicated exclusively to energy.

From the very first hours of her visit to Thessaloniki, Guilfoyle held a series of meetings with institutions and business representatives, including the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, pharmaceutical and technology firms, as well as manufacturing sectors in Northern Greece. “There’s a very strong appetite to invest in Greece,” she said, emphasising that American companies are looking for predictability and stability and that she is already working in that direction. “The United States companies really want that predictability to understand where the country is going and how favourable it is to new investments so that they can sell this to their neighbours,” she said, adding that “Greece is in a moment in time right now where there’s tremendous opportunity.”

She also referred to the strong presence of American officials at the recent P-TEC (Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation) energy summit in Athens, where important agreements were signed to establish Greece as a strategic energy hub between Europe and the United States. And just seeing those opportunities here, because so much of that was about the vertical corridor, the different ports, obviously the importance of Alexandroupoli as an FSRU and regasification, and for military capabilities as well, and then Thessaloniki. And so there’s just a really good desire to actually invest in Greece by American companies, and in this area, which is so strategic, she said.

Guilfoyle also referred to the potential of Northern Greece as a technological hub, as well as to the recent signing of a joint declaration between Greece and the United States aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries, with a focus on artificial intelligence. This, she said, is an important step toward boosting innovation because, as she noted, “Whoever has the energy is going to control AI. And I think it shows the importance of, also, as a tech hub, the northern part of Greece and Thessaloniki, and the future.”

“Greece: a stable and reliable ally”

Guilfoyle particularly emphasised the US-Greece relationship, describing it as “historically stable and reliable”. For her, strengthening this alliance is a central element of her mission in the country. “Greece has been, over and over again, a steadfast ally to the United States of America, a trusted ally, one that we can count on every single time. And Greece may not be a large country per capita, but it is a strong and proud country that is a good neighbour and good ally. And it’s just been wonderful to see this relationship develop. And quite frankly, I see where the relationship is going and the interest we have as Americans in Greece and in this region, whether we’re dealing with the Eastern Mediterranean or South or Central Europe,” she stressed.