Moldovan energy minister at Transatlantic Gas Security Summit says partnership with USA essential for strengthening energy security in Central, Eastern Europe

The energy partnership with the United States is essential for strengthening energy security in Central and Eastern Europe. Liquefied natural gas from the US provides a real and competitive alternative, helping to diversify supply sources and reduce traditional dependencies. Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu has made statements to this effect, who took part in the Transatlantic Gas Security Summit held in Washington. This is a high-level event dedicated to strengthening energy security and transatlantic cooperation in the natural gas sector.

The summit brought together senior leaders and officials from the United States and the European Union, including Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior and Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy and Vice Chair of the same council, as well as Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy at the European Commission.

The meeting’s agenda included discussion panels on the future of energy relations between the USA and Europe, strengthening the transatlantic partnership, financing the energy sector in the context of risk reduction and deregulation, as well as the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in new technological transformations, including for the development of artificial intelligence.

The participants committed to strengthening the resilience of natural gas markets by fully leveraging the present infrastructure and carrying out expansions, where necessary, in order to increase deliveries and create economies of scale, in order to achieve strategic goals in the energy sector.

Minister Junghietu signed, on behalf of Moldova, the final declaration of the Summit, through which the sides committed to promoting transparent and non-discriminatory access to gas infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe, in order to strengthen the security of natural gas supplies for the signatories, to increase gas market transparency, to harmonize gas markets and exchanges, to promote efficient and cost-effective tariff frameworks and to mitigate or, where possible, eliminate regulations that could hinder gas imports, the construction of new gas infrastructure and the long-term stability of natural gas trade.

According to the Energy Ministry, participation in the summit takes place in the context of Moldova’s continued efforts to strengthen its energy security and diversify its supply sources. A concrete example in this regard is the import of 40 million m³ of liquefied natural gas from the United States through the Alexandroupolis terminal in Greece, in the very first tankers following the commissioning of the terminal.