In a landmark meeting between Cyprus, Greece, and Israel, the countries focused on the issue of natural gas exports and energy cooperation. The summit comes at a critical time when the European Union is seeking alternative energy sources amid Russia's ongoing incursion into Ukraine.

Israel's Prime Minister emphasized the urgency of making prompt decisions regarding the export of natural gas to the EU, aiming for a resolution within a 3-6 month window. This sets the stage for definitive agreements to be reached by the end of 2023 or early 2024 at the latest.

As reported by Brief, the export of natural gas to Europe can be accomplished in two ways—either via the East-Med natural gas pipeline or through a liquefaction plant in Cyprus.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed Greece’s keen interest in participating in this energy initiative. He noted that Greece serves as a natural entry point for natural gas into the European market and highlighted ongoing significant investments in the energy sector across all three countries.

Another topic on the agenda was electrical interconnection between the countries. Cyprus is awaiting an assessment study concerning the financial viability and strategic value of the EuroAsia Interconnector project, set to decide its level of involvement next week.

The summit also reaffirmed a strong commitment to the "3+1" framework involving the United States. There was mutual agreement on the value of extending this cooperation to other countries, notably India, with plans to extend an invitation to the Indian Prime Minister for the next tripartite meeting set for 2024.