Cyprus, Energy Routes, and U.S. Interests in the Eastern Mediterranean - MIDDLE EAST FORUM

April 16, 2026

Nicoletta Kouroushi

Cyprus is moving to commercialize its natural gas through Egypt, using existing infrastructure to reach European markets. This reflects a broader shift in the Eastern Mediterranean, where energy influence depends less on ownership of resources and more on control of infrastructure and export routes.

Rather than Pursuing Large-Scale Infrastructure, States Increasingly Rely on Flexible Arrangements Built Around Existing Systems

The Cyprus-Egypt framework agreement establishes the basis for routing gas from offshore fields such as Kronos and Aphrodite to Egyptian liquefaction facilities for export. By relying on existing terminals, Cyprus reduces costs, shortens timelines, and avoids the political and technical risks associated with new pipeline projects.

The agreement strengthens Egypt’s role as a regional liquefied natural gas hub while providing Cyprus with its first export pathway.

Cyprus, Israel pledge quick deal in gas field dispute - KATHIMERINI

19.09.2022 • 19:30
MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS

Israel and Cyprus said Monday that they have made “significant” headway in resolving a long-running dispute over an offshore natural gas deposit and say they are committed to quickly reaching a deal as Europe looks for new energy sources.

Cyprus Energy Minister Natasa Pilides and her Israeli counterpart, Karine Elharrar, held talks in the Cypriot capital, pledging to press toward a “fair and swift resolution.”

Israel claims that a portion of Cyprus’ Aphrodite deposit estimated to hold some 4.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas falls inside its nearby Ishai field, along an offshore demarcation line that separates the two countries’ exclusive economic zones.

Negotiations have stretched for several years, but Europe’s need to wean itself off Russian energy sources since the war in Ukraine appears to have added a new sense of urgency to the talks. Russia has cut back natural gas supplies to Europe, driving up prices.

The US should link eastern Mediterranean gas to Europe to subvert Russia - THE HILL

MARCH/15/22 12:00 PM EDT

Nicholas Saidel, Godfrey Garner 

The Biden administration should pause its hyper-focus on renewable energy and support efforts to prevent Russian energy blackmail against our European allies. The European Union (EU) has declared it will cut reliance on Russian gas by two-thirds. If the U.S. is serious about energy security in Europe, it must help ensure that eastern Mediterranean natural gas makes it to Europe’s shores.

In late January, President Biden took the opposite route, surprising Greece, Israel and Cyprus — the regional entities in the U.S.-sponsored “3+1” cooperation framework — by withdrawing support for the EastMed Pipeline, an unfunded, multibillion-dollar concept conceived in 2016 that would have brought eastern Mediterranean gas to Europe via an underground pipeline. Biden cited climate change and economic viability concerns, both arguably reasonable positions at the time. However, considering Russia’s war in Ukraine and its downstream effects, Biden must show flexibility and adapt his natural gas policy.

Gas from the eastern Mediterranean could diversify Europe’s energy portfolio. Israel alone has approximately 2.2 trillion cubic meters of gas awaiting discovery. While it wouldn’t satisfy all of Europe’s needs, it would help to offset Russian gas imports. NATO countries such as Germany, Italy and Turkey could benefit from new suppliers, especially since German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has halted the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project that would have increased the country’s reliance on Russian gas. Like Germany, Italy is seeking alternative sources.

Cyprus, Greece and Israel to Sign Pipeline Deal in Early January - HAARETZ

Dec 23, 2019 8:11 PM

The leaders of Cyprus, Greece and Israel plan to sign an agreement January 2 for building an undersea pipeline to bring Israeli and Cypriot natural gas to the European market, the Greek prime minister’s office announced Sunday.

The agreement, which will be signed in Athens by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will be largely symbolic – aimed at helping Cyprus and Greece to confront Turkey over maritime rights.

The announcement of the pipeline agreement comes on the heels of an agreement signed last week between Turkey and Libya delineating exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean Sea that awards Turkey the areas where the projected pipeline is slated to run.

The agreement has elicited protests from eastern Mediterranean countries with gas interests, including Egypt. On Monday, Netanyahu said in a letter to the Greek and Cypriot leaders that the “the gas agreement between Turkey and Libya is not legal – we need to respond and sign the gas pipeline agreement.”

Our View: Gas deal is great news, but we must be realistic - CYPRUS MAIL

November 10, 2019
By CM: Our View

CONTRACTS for the first hydrocarbon exploitation licence were signed on Thursday and were described by energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, as “another milestone in Cyprus’ energy programme”. It was the first real milestone of our energy programme because as we have learnt over the last few years, licensing rounds, surveys, exploratory drilling and discoveries of deposits might create big expectations, but until contracts for the exploitation of the findings are signed, their commercial value is theoretical.

This is an illustration of the extremely slow pace at which the oil and gas industry moves. The discovery at the Aphrodite field in block 12 was announced in December 2011, the exploitation licence was finalised in 2019 and production is scheduled to begin in 2025. It will be 14 years after the discovery before revenue will start coming in. Even then, it will be reduced because the bigger share will go towards covering the big investment by the oil companies, estimated to be in the region of €7 billion.

Redrawing Europe's energy map will fuel multifaceted benefits for Israel's future - JERUSALEM POST

OCTOBER 5, 2019 19:17 JESSE BOGNER 

As the recent drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities as well as ongoing US-Iran tensions threaten the stability of energy markets worldwide, the opposite trend is taking hold in Israel, a nation that has long grappled with the challenges of being surrounded by hostile oil-rich neighbors.

The once-unthinkable notion of Israeli gas exports to Egypt is on the verge of becoming a reality following an agreement reached this month that enables the East Mediterranean Gas Company to operate Europe Asia Pipeline Co.’s coastal terminal in Ashkelon. At the same time, the $7 billion Israeli-Greek-Cypriot EastMed pipeline has the potential to forge Israel’s presence as an energy provider to Europe.

Yet a different pipeline project which is rarely mentioned in the same breath as Israel carries a dual promise – propping up the Israeli economy while bolstering the Jewish state’s long-term security, with or without Israel’s direct participation in the initiative.

Though Israel has yet to sign onto the project, the Azerbaijan-led Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) should be squarely on the nation’s radar as it looks to expand its influence economically. SGC’s scope is staggering. Spanning 2,200 miles (3,540 km.) across seven countries and connecting three linked pipelines, the $41.5b. project will reshape the geopolitical landscape of European energy consumption.

Southern European leaders to discuss proposed EastMed pipeline at Med7 Summit - FOREIGN BRIEF

June 14, 2019
Joshua Clarkson

Heads of state from Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain convene today in Malta for the sixth South EU Summit.

The group, informally known as the Med7, is expected to focus on energy security at today’s conference.

In January, six European and Middle Eastern leaders committed to creating an Eastern Mediterranean regional gas market. The biggest step, however, is the proposed EastMed pipeline, which would bring Levantine gas deposits to European markets via Cyprus, Greece and Italy. The potential 1,900-kilometre pipeline could satisfy 10% of Europe’s energy demand, diminishing the continent’s dependence on Russian energy.

While the EastMed pipeline is still in the planning stages, it could be a geopolitical boon for the EU. Without reliance on Russian energy, a more united front on Ukraine could be established, and Moscow would have less leverage in negotiations with Brussels.

Erdogan Crashes the Mediterranean Gas Party - HAARETZ

May 08, 2019 7:16 PM
David Rosenberg 

Last week Turkey sparked another crisis by starting drilling in Cypriot waters. That’s a problem not just for Cyprus but for Israel, too

Even the most avid Erdogan watcher has to work hard up with all the crises the Turkish leader has wrought. This week the No. 1 crisis was election officials caving in to his demand for new elections in Istanbul. There are also the crisis over Turkey’s buying Russian S-400 missiles, the simmering war in the Syrian province of Idlib and, of course, the collapse of the Turkish economy.

If that isn’t enough, add a crisis largely playing out off center stage, but which deserves a lot more attention. That’s because it threatens to upset all the plans Israel, Egypt and Cyprus have for exploiting the vast natural gas resources of the Eastern Mediterranean.

The latest installment of the gas crisis started last Friday when Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said the Turkish seismic research vessel Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa would be drilling for oil and gas “in areas of Turkey’s continental shelf.”

So, finally Turkey is joining the East Med gas party? Not exactly. It’s more like crashing the party: The ship is drilling deep inside Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.

Greece’s DEPA to Begin Selling Natural Gas to Bulgaria - GREEK REPORTER

Apr 3, 2019Tasos Kokkinidis

Greek energy provider DEPA on Tuesday became the first Western company to strike a deal with Bulgaria’s state-owned Bulgargaz to provide natural gas to the country.

This is the first time Bulgaria has ever bought gas from another provider outside its long-term contract with Russia’s Gazprom. Currently, more than 95 percent of the Balkan country’s gas needs are met by supplies from Gazprom, and the product is delivered through a pipeline which crosses Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.

Bulgargaz will complete the purchase of 1.5 million megawatt hours of fuel from DEPA in the second quarter, pumping the gas into its Chiren underground storage facility, the company said on Tuesday.

Bulgargaz said DEPA had offered the lowest price in a tender in which the state provider also received offers from Bulgaria’s Dexia Company and the Dutch-registered Kolmar NL.

The deal was hailed by the United States Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt, who tweeted that the development was “another welcome example of Greece’s growing role as a facilitator of European energy diversification.”

Pompeo welcomes trilateral cooperation (Update 2) - CYPRUS MAIL

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President Anastasiades,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Jerusalem

MARCH 20, 2019

Jean Christou

The governments of Cyprus, the US, Israel and Greece on Wednesday agreed to increase regional cooperation, support energy independence and security, and to “defend against external malign influences” in the Eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East.

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who attended the Jerusalem summit, expressed US support for the trilateral mechanism established by the three countries when, according to a brief official declaration following the summit, they met “to affirm their shared commitment to promoting peace, stability, security and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean region”.

According to the statement, Pompeo noted the importance of increased cooperation with the three countries.

Natural gas should be shared equitably in context of solution- U.S. ambassador - IN-CYPRUS

March 18, 2019 at 1:19pm
Edited by Stelios Marathovouniotis

Cyprus’ natural gas resources should be shared equitably between Turkish and Greek Cypriots in the context of an overall settlement, U.S. ambassador to Cyprus, Judith Garber said on Monday.

Garber made these statements after presenting her credentials to President Anastasiades after assuming her duties.

“The new energy discoveries come with great promise and equally great responsibility. The United States has consistently recognized the right of the Republic of Cyprus to develop the resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone. We continue to believe these resources should be equitably shared between both communities in the context of an overall settlement,” Garber said.

These finds should lead to the greater prosperity and stability of the entire region and help diversify Europe’s energy supply, she added.

She described Cyprus as a valued friend and an important partner in a critical region.

Cypriot Energy Minister Announcing the Glaucus 5-8 tcf discovery - LINKED-IN

28 February 2019 

Georgios Lakkotrypis, Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry & Tourism at Government of Cyprus:

"@ExxonMobil & @QatarPetroleum make a world-class discovery offshore #Cyprus at #Glaucus. A high-quality reservoir 5-8 TCF of #NatGas is added to the country’s reserves. It demonstrates the emergence of the Republic‘s #EEZ as an alternative indigenous source of supply to the #EU."

Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum a powerful new global player - THE ARAB WEEKLY

EU Commissioner for Energy Miguel Arias Canete (C) visits the Zohr
gas field facilities in April 2018

Sunday 20/01/2019

Amr Emam

The EMGF creates a “systematic dialogue” between producers and consumers on gas policies.

CAIRO - A planned Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum is expected to expand cooperation between natural gas producers and consumers in the region, creating a powerful global energy player and potentially providing Europe with an alternative supply of gas.

“This is particularly true with major producers in the region agreeing to join hands in maximising benefits from new finds,” said oil and gas expert Ramadan Abul Ela. “Regional discoveries will change the international map of energy supply but this will materialise only when producers join hands.”

The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) was announced January 14 in Cairo at a meeting of energy ministers from Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.

The forum, with headquarters in Cairo, is planned to ease exploitation of Eastern Mediterranean gas reserves to further economic development in the region.

“The forum will support producing countries by enhancing their cooperation with consumer and transitory parties in the region,” a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum said. “It will take advantage of existing infrastructure and develop further infrastructure options to accommodate current and future discoveries.”

The EastMed Pipeline Project in Perspective - GLOBAL RISK INSIGHTS

January 6, 2019
Ezra Friedman

The EastMed gas pipeline between Cyprus, Greece and Israel will revolutionise the economies and geo-politics of the region. The project comes from an emerging alliance between the three countries who must move forward cautiously in the face of neighbouring States’ opposition.

Eastern Mediterranean: the Bigger Picture

On December 20th, the Prime Ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Israel converged on the southern Israeli city of Beersheba. All three parties publicly committed to signing a high-level agreement in the near future. Such an agreement would solidify one of the longest and deepest underwater gas pipeline in the world.

It is expected to deliver approximately 10 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas to the European Union (EU) through Greece and Italy. The EU is keen to support the project and diversify its natural gas imports away from the heavily sanctioned Russian Federation and declining North Sea gas production. The EastMed project would fulfil roughly 10-15% the EU’s projected natural gas needs. The United States is also supporting the project as it sees the growing trilateral alliance as a bulwark of democracy and stability in a largely authoritarian and war-torn region.

Energy News Monitor | Volume XV; Issue 30 - OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION

JAN 05 2019

Israel, Greece and Cyprus will sign an agreement early next year to build a pipeline to carry natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe, while the United States pledged its support for the ambitious project. The $7 billion project, expected to take six or seven years to complete, promises to reshape the region as an energy provider and dent Russia's dominance over the European energy market. Israel has been developing natural gas fields off its Mediterranean coast for the past decade. Its "Tamar" field already is operational, while the larger "Leviathan" field is expected to be operational next year. While most of its gas is used domestically, it has signed export deals with Egypt and Jordan and has its eyes on the larger European market. The proposed pipeline would allow Israel and Cyprus to export their recently discovered offshore reserves to Italy and eventually to the rest of Europe. Greece, which would act as a conduit for the gas to the continent, could also use the pipeline to convey any hydrocarbons potentially found in its own waters.

The Mediterranean Pipeline Wars Are Heating Up - OILPRICE.COM

Dec 28, 2018, 9:30 AM CST

Viktor Katona

Things have been quite active in the Eastern Mediterranean lately, with Israel, Cyprus and Greece pushing forward for the realization of the EastMed pipeline, a new gas conduit destined to diversify Europe’s natural gas sources and find a long-term reliable market outlet for all the recent Mediterranean gas discoveries. The three sides have reached an agreement in late November (roughly a year after signing the MoU) to lay the pipeline, the estimated cost of which hovers around $7 billion (roughly the same as rival TurkStream’s construction cost). Yet behind the brave facade, it is still very early to talk about EastMed as a viable and profitable project as it faces an uphill battle with traditionally difficult Levantine geopolitics, as well as field geology.

The EastMed gas pipeline is expected to start some 170 kilometers off the southern coast of Cyprus and reach Otranto on the Puglian coast of Italy via the island of Crete and the Greek mainland. Since most of its subsea section is projected to be laid at depths of 3-3.5 kilometer, in case it is built it would become the deepest subsea gas pipeline, most probably the longest, too, with an estimated length of 1900km. The countries involved proceed from the premise that the pipeline’s throughput capacity would be 20 BCM per year (706 BCf), although previous estimates were within the 12-16 BCm per year interval. According to Yuval Steinitz, the Israeli Energy Minister, the stakeholders would need a year to iron out all the remaining administrative issues and 4-5 years to build the pipeline, meaning it could come onstream not before 2025.

Cyprus, Greece, Israel to set up multi-party military force for energy security - XINHUA

2018-12-22 04:16:18

NICOSIA, Cyprus, Greece and Israel have decided to set up a multi-party military force to provide security for natural gas infrastructure, Cyprus' state television reported on Friday.

It said that the multi-party force decision was among unreported issues discussed at a summit of the three countries in Israel on Thursday.

Quoting unnamed diplomatic sources at the Beer Sheba summit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Cyprus's state television said parties involved in natural gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean will be invited to participate with military units in the force.

Among countries expected to be invited to join the force is the United States as two U.S.-based companies, ExxonMobil and Noble Energy, are involved in natural gas exploration.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman participated for the first time in the tripartite summit of Israel, Cyprus and Greece, expressing his country's support both for the regional cooperation groupings and the EastMed project.

Remarks at the Budapest Energy Summit - Francis R. Fannon - U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

December 3, 2018Remarks
Francis R. Fannon
Budapest Energy Summit

Budapest, Hungary

Introduction

Good morning. Thank you Piroska for the kind introduction. I’ve seen a lot of Budapest and I’m pleased to be here today for the Budapest Energy Summit.

Today I would like to discuss Europe’s energy security: the challenges and the opportunities.

The United States has been engaged in energy issues as key to foreign policy since the 1800s. The State Department, at that time, worked to secure markets abroad for U.S. oil and kerosene, some of our largest exports at the time. In the 1970s, the Department was at the forefront in managing oil supply shocks, with then Secretary of State Kissinger helping to found the International Energy Agency.

Greece builds pipeline to transport natural gas from Caspian Sea - AL JAZEERA

27 October 2018

John Psaropoulos 

Greece is known for its history and climate, but not for oil and gas.

That may be about to change with a new pipeline (a five billion-dollar project) being completed across the north of the country that will transport natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Western Europe.

It's part of a European Union policy to move away from dependence on Russian gas after shipments were stopped for two weeks during the 2009 Ukraine crisis, causing shortages in southeastern Europe.

Al Jazeera's John Psaropoulos reports (2:22 video).

POLITICS: Geopolitical Role of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean - FINANCIAL MIRROR

18 July, 2018
Nikos Christodoulides, Cyprus' Foreign Minister

One of the most capturing narratives on Cyprus’s geography is the one provided by US Ambassador Thomas Boyatt, in a presentation at the Foreign Service Institute in Washington DC.

“Cyprus is an island in the northeast corner of the Mediterranean. It sits there like an aircraft carrier and dominates between east and west, as well as between north and south. Every empire from the Egyptians to the British, which has sought to dominate the Middle East, has had to control Cyprus.”

It is this unique geographical position of Cyprus, at the south-eastern-most corner of the European Union, at the cross roads of Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, which has to a very large extent defined the history of Cyprus. And while more often than not our geography has been more of a curse than a blessing, our determined efforts in the last few years have been to reverse this narrative, and turn our geographical position into a blessing, putting it at the forefront of our geostrategic value.