Athens Weighs Alliances to Break Deadlock in Greece-Cyprus Energy Project

Greece is weighing its alliances, the broader international landscape, and possible ways to bypass the deadlock that has stalled the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection project.

The goal is to resume research on the undersea power cable, known as the Great Sea

According to sources familiar with the matter, Athens is preparing to authorize the continuation of necessary surveys for the project’s next phase. Importantly, the nature of the interconnection does not require negotiations with any third country, including Turkey, which has repeatedly opposed energy projects in the Eastern Mediterranean that do not include its participation.

Diplomatically, Greece has secured key support for the initiative. In the waters near Kasos and Karpathos, French naval presence will provide a discreet but visible sign of Paris’ backing. France’s interest in the project is not only political but also economic, as French companies are involved in aspects of the interconnection’s development.

Israel has also emerged as a crucial ally.

The country’s support was made clear last week during a trilateral meeting in Athens between the foreign ministers of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Following the talks, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar was received by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, underscoring the importance of the partnership. Israeli officials are closely monitoring developments and remain on standby.

If tensions escalate, they are expected to engage with Washington using their well-established diplomatic channels.

Although Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis did not explicitly bring up the electricity interconnection in his recent discussions with U.S. officials—where talks instead focused on American LNG exports via Greek shipping and infrastructure—Washington is generally supportive of energy projects that enhance regional stability and reduce reliance on non-Western energy sources.

Athens is fully aware that these efforts will likely provoke a response from Turkey. However, Prime Minister Mitsotakis appears resolute in pushing the project forward. For Greece, the interconnection is a matter of strategic energy security, both for itself and for Cyprus, as it will integrate the island’s power grid with the European Union.

More importantly, Greece is unwilling to accept limitations on its rights in international waters simply because Turkey insists on its contested "Blue Homeland" doctrine, a geopolitical vision that seeks to expand Turkish influence in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The project has faced repeated obstacles since mid-2024, when Turkish warships blocked research activities south of Kasos. Tensions flared again in November, when Ankara sent four frigates to the area in response to rumors that research vessels would return. In early February, Turkish naval forces attempted to interfere via radio communications with Greek survey vessels operating in international waters northeast of Crete, though they did not physically obstruct their work.

Athens had previously considered various ways to break the impasse, including the possibility of a provisional arrangement with Turkey that would allow the project to proceed without Greece appearing to compromise its territorial or maritime rights. However, Turkey has shown little interest in serious negotiations, and Greece’s recent decision to halt certain payments related to the project on February 28 underscores the lack of progress.

Looking ahead, Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis is expected to meet his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Geneva. While their meeting will take place in the context of a multilateral conference on Cyprus, there is a possibility that the two diplomats will also discuss the electricity interconnection.

Previous attempts to engage Turkey on this issue, including a meeting in Doha on February 2, have failed to produce concrete results.