Ankara 'Courts' Chevron in Response to Crete

The Turkish Minister of Energy met with Chevron executives as the company submitted a proposal for the Greek hydrocarbon tender south of Crete.

Alparslan Bayraktar announced the meeting with senior executives of the American company Chevron via a post on X. According to him, they discussed potential collaborations in the areas of liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade and hydrocarbon exploration and extraction.

This meeting is interpreted as a message to Athens that Turkey seeks an active role in the Eastern Mediterranean and will not leave the Greek initiative for research south of Crete unanswered.

Ankara, through Chevron, appears to be countering the Greek initiative with a parallel relationship, aiming both for future energy benefits and to prevent Greek exclusivity in the region.