Greece, one of the last EU member states still importing Russian natural gas under long-term contracts, is preparing to comply with the European Union’s target of a complete phaseout by the end of 2027, according to an Energy Intelligence article titled “Greece Prepares for Russian Gas Phaseout”, to which The Green Tank contributed.
Unlike Hungary and Slovakia, Greece does not appear to be seeking an exemption from the target. However, it stresses that compliance requires avoiding energy price increases, preventing “parallel” imports of Russian gas, and minimizing legal risks for companies terminating contracts.
Commenting on the issue, Ioanna Souka, energy policy analyst at The Green Tank, noted that the next steps for Metlen regarding its Gazprom contract, which expires after 2027, remain unclear, with the company having the option to invoke a force majeure clause due to the ban imposed under EU law. “The most pragmatic and least disruptive option would be to reach a mutually agreed termination in advance, avoiding an abrupt end to the arrangement at the close of 2027,” she stressed.
At the same time, Greece has sufficient LNG import capacity to cover its domestic needs once Russian flows stop at the end of 2027, with the LNG import terminal at Revythousa more than able to meet future domestic demand, according to the NSCP. However, Ioanna Souka stressed that the continued expansion of new LNG infrastructure is not aligned with the EU’s target of reducing overall fossil gas use.
The article was published on August 19, 2025, and is available by subscription at energyintel.com.
