Greece has reaffirmed its determination to eliminate dependence on Russian natural gas, which still made up 43.7 percent of its gas imports in the first half of 2025. However, Athens has set three firm conditions: energy prices for consumers must not rise, there must be no pathway for Russian gas to reenter the European Union under the Turkish Blend label, and European companies should be protected from legal or financial consequences when terminating long-term contracts with Gazprom.
These points were emphasized during a meeting between Greek officials and European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jorgensen. Jorgensen expressed the European Commission’s goal of accelerating the EU’s shift toward gas independence, a challenge that is especially difficult for southeastern countries, with Greece facing particular pressure.
Despite increased shipments of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), Russia still supplied 16.4 terawatt-hours (TWh) out of the 37.5 TWh Greece imported from January to June 2025. Although this represents a decline from just over 50 percent a year earlier, Russian gas remains a significant part of Greece’s energy supply. With national elections expected in 2026–2027 and persistent inflation, the government must carefully manage the complex task of replacing more than 40 percent of its gas imports by the end of 2027 without causing higher household energy costs. Greece’s heavy reliance on Russian gas makes this energy transition especially challenging and politically sensitive compared to many northern EU states.
