Balkan leaders gathered in the Greek port city of Alexandropouli to discuss the US led plans to bring LNG gas there, as a way to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas.

Greece and Bulgaria have leading roles in the project, while Macedonia and Serbia ask to be included. Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski said that the meeting is a historic event that will ensure “long term energy independence and reliable supply with liquified natural gas in a very serious crisis period”.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that this and other projects will soon allow to replace Russian gas with energy coming from other sources. Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov added that the planned LNG terminal in Alexandropoli and the subsequent gas pipelines will change the energy map of Europe.