Italy and the US agree to increase LNG ties as well as infrastructure investment

Italy and the United States pledged to deepen their energy ties on Monday, including by increasing exports of liquefied gas to Italy. This comes as Europe continues its search for alternatives to Russian energy after Moscow's invasion in Ukraine.

Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Italian Minister of Energy and U.S. After talks in Rome, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum pledged to promote a "steady" and "secure" flow of American LNG into Europe without giving any specific figures or timelines.

The statement said that they will "encourage investment in LNG import and regasification in Italy as well as exporting infrastructure in the United States to ensure efficient supply chains."

The European Union has taken steps to phase-out imports of Russian LNG and gas, while the U.S. will increase its supply as it moves to end the decades-long relationship between the EU and Moscow that crumbled following the invasion of Ukraine 2022.

Pichetto fratin, in a press release, said that "U.S. LNG is a contributor to supply security due to its greater reliability on the route between the United States and Italy and Europe compared to other routes with geopolitical risk."

In Washington, in April, during a meeting with U.S. president Donald Trump and Prime Minister Giorgia Melloi, a potential increase in Italian LNG imports was discussed.

(source: Reuters)