February the 27th, 2026 – Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar has been in Washington in the USA where he has stated that Croatia is a key part of the solution to European energy security.
As Index vijesti/news writes, Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar has been on an official visit to the United States (from the 24th to the 27th of February). During his visit, he participated in various meetings and international events dedicated to energy security and transatlantic cooperation in Washington and Pittsburgh.
On the first day of his visit, he participated in the Transatlantic Gas Security Summit, a gathering dedicated to the security of energy supply and the future of energy cooperation between Europe and the USA. The summit was attended by representatives of various governments, international institutions and the energy sector from both sides of the Atlantic.
“Energy security isn’t built with declarations, but with infrastructure, trust and the ability to deliver energy when it is most needed. Croatia has built a system that makes this possible and today actively contributes to the stability of supply in this part of Europe,” said Šušnjar, making sure to emphasise that Croatia has become a real part of the solution to European energy security.
meetings with american officials
The minister held bilateral meetings with US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. They discussed the long-term energy architecture of Europe, stable transatlantic LNG flows and the development of infrastructure projects for the diversification of energy supply in Central and Southeastern Europe.
The Ministry pointed out that this is already the third bilateral meeting held between Šušnjar and Wright, which they consider a confirmation of the intensification of the strategic energy dialogue between Croatia and the USA.
Numerous regional infrastructure projects were also discussed, including the Southern gas interconnection with neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the Ionian-Adriatic gas pipeline. Šušnjar also stated that the Adriatic pipeline represents an alternative route for the supply of non-Russian oil for Central Europe, which only highlighted its importance given current events.
The Three Seas Initiative and regional cooperation
During his visit to Washington, the Minister also spoke with the Polish Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka about strengthening European energy security and the further development of transatlantic cooperation.
He also met with the Minister of Energy and Mining of Montenegro, Admir Šahmanović, with whom he discussed the regional connection of infrastructure in Southeast Europe. Šušnjar also made sure to highlight the importance of the Three Seas Initiative, which Croatia currently chairs. He stated that discussions on energy security will continue at the initiative’s summit in April 2026, scheduled to take place in Dubrovnik.
“Today, Croatia is a key part of the solution for European energy security and will continue to actively strengthen stable and reliable energy routes across both Central and Southeastern Europe,” the minister concluded.
