The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) convened officials from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, and the European Commission in Washington, DC to further collaboration on the Vertical Gas Corridor project. This meeting followed earlier discussions at the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation Summit in Athens in November 2025 and the Transatlantic Gas Security Summit in Washington in February 2026.
“By partnering with the countries of the Vertical Corridor, we are opening major opportunities to expand U.S. LNG exports to Central and Eastern Europe,” said Joshua Volz. “This effort is so important to our President and Secretary because it aligns with our nation’s strengths and commitment to supporting friends and allies across Europe.”
Participants included representatives from energy ministries, national regulators, and Transmission System Operators (TSOs). The group addressed several key goals necessary for increasing the northbound flow of regasified U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Greece into wider European markets. These objectives include resolving regulatory issues that affect long-term planning, aligning tariffs for cost competitiveness, and reviewing strategic infrastructure investments required for full corridor capacity.
The DOE emphasized that this meeting underscores its ongoing efforts to reinforce U.S. energy leadership globally and support allied nations as they seek alternatives to adversarial energy suppliers. By working to remove barriers for U.S. LNG exports, DOE continues its role as a leading global provider of energy resources.
Recent DOE initiatives also highlight broader commitments in energy policy and innovation. In July 2022, DOE announced a $225 million program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at implementing updated building energy codes across the United States to improve efficiency and resilience (https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-launches-225-million-program-lower-utility-bills-through-more). That same month, Secretary Jennifer Granholm encouraged international cooperation toward clean energy transitions during an address promoting the Global Clean Energy Action Forum (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sebmi2QGbV4).
Other efforts include supporting technology development through national laboratories for environmental management missions (https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/technology-development-aiding-em-mission-senior-advisor-white-tells-congress), deploying innovative groundwater remediation methods at legacy sites like Savannah River Site (https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/srs-tackles-groundwater-issue-using-innovative-passive-energy-process), funding advances in clean vehicle technologies with $96 million allocated toward decarbonizing transportation sectors (https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-96-million-advancing-clean-vehicle-technologies-reduce-carbon-emissions), and launching over 140 programs under President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative designed to deliver clean energy benefits to disadvantaged communities (https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-more-140-programs-supporting-president-bidens-justice40-initiative).
