عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince: We Will Work on Turning Greece into Hydrogen Hub in Europe

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday. (SPA)
    Athens, Jeddah - Asharq Al-Awsat
TT
TT

Saudi Crown Prince: We Will Work on Turning Greece into Hydrogen Hub in Europe

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, held bilateral talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on Tuesday.

They tackled bilateral relations and ways to boost them in various fields. They also covered regional and international developments.

Crown Prince Mohammed stressed that Saudi Arabia and Greece enjoy close and historic ties, adding that he was “very happy” to be visiting the country and with the warm reception he was accorded.

“This means a lot to me and Saudi Arabia,” he stressed.

“I promised Greece that I would not return empty-handed. We now have cooperation that will be a turning point for our countries and the entire region,” he remarked.

Crown Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia and Greece have historic opportunities they are working on, such as connecting an electrical grid that would provide southern and western Europe with renewable energy through Greece.

He revealed that Saudi Arabia and Greece agreements in all fields, revealing that efforts were underway to transform Greece into a hydrogen hub in Europe.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Mitsotakis oversaw the signing of several investment, technology, military, economic and security agreements.

The Saudi royal had arrived in Greece earlier on Tuesday as part of a trip to Europe. His next stop is France.

He was accorded a formal reception at Athens airport and then received at the prime minister’s headquarters.

The Saudi Royal Diwan had earlier said the visits to Greece and France, at the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, aim to bolster bilateral relations and discuss issues of common interest.

Saudi Arabia and Greece enjoy strong relations that go back to 1965. Mitsotakis had paid a visit to the Kingdom in 2021 and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah visited Greece earlier this year.

The trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and Greece reached 34 billion riyals, or 9 billion dollars, in the past six years. Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports to Greece in 2021 topped 660 million riyals, or 176 million dollars, marking a growth of 21 percent.

Crown Prince Mohammed’s delegation to Greece includes the ministers of energy, sports, foreign affairs, culture, trade, investment, telecommunications and information technology, as well as the national security advisor.

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Talks with Qatari, Omani and US Counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - SPA
Saudi Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - SPA
TT
TT

Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Talks with Qatari, Omani and US Counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - SPA
Saudi Foreign Minister and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - SPA

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held separate meetings in Manama with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi on the sidelines of the joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States, SPA reported.

During the meetings, Prince Faisal reviewed bilateral relations with Qatar and Oman and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in support of mutual interests and joint Gulf action.

The talks also focused on regional and international developments, particularly the latest developments regarding the US-Iran agreement and the progress of negotiations between Washington and Tehran, as well as their implications for regional security and stability.

The discussions covered efforts to support diplomatic initiatives aimed at reducing tensions and enhancing regional security and stability, in addition to developments in Gaza and Lebanon.

Prince Faisal and Rubio also stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions.

The meeting with Rubio was attended by Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al Farhan, Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain Naif Al Sudairi, Director General of the Office of the Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Ismail, and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Manal Radwan.

Gulf

Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Launches Electronic Travel Authorization Service for UK Citizens

Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Launches Electronic Travel Authorization Service for UK Citizens
TT
TT

Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Launches Electronic Travel Authorization Service for UK Citizens

Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Launches Electronic Travel Authorization Service for UK Citizens

As a continuation of the longstanding and distinguished relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) service for citizens of the United Kingdom, enhancing travel facilitation for those wishing to visit the Kingdom, in line with the reciprocal arrangements extended to Saudi citizens through the same service by the British side, SPA reported.

The ETA allows UK citizens to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under an electronic travel authorization with multiple entries and to stay for up to 180 days, either consecutively or across multiple visits within one year.

The authorization also permits travel to the Kingdom for a range of purposes, including tourism, short-term study, and business. It does not apply to work, residence, or Hajj visas, for which the relevant visa must be obtained.

The service will enter into effect on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, and will be available to holders of all types of UK passports, opening broader prospects for the distinguished partnership between the two countries and their friendly peoples.

Gulf

GCC and US Stress Commitment to Strategic Partnership, Regional Security

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a meeting with Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, in Manama, Bahrain, June 25, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee/Pool
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a meeting with Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, in Manama, Bahrain, June 25, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee/Pool
TT
TT

GCC and US Stress Commitment to Strategic Partnership, Regional Security

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a meeting with Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, in Manama, Bahrain, June 25, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee/Pool
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a meeting with Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States at The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, in Manama, Bahrain, June 25, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee/Pool

Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, along with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stressed on Thursday their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership and intensifying coordination on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

During a meeting in the Bahraini capital, Manama, the ministers discussed a number of regional and international issues, emphasizing the importance of enhancing coordination and joint consultation in a manner that supports regional security and stability and protects shared interests.

The meeting also explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in investment, trade, energy, and advanced technologies, in addition to supporting initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable development and promoting economic prosperity.

Participants stressed the importance of collective action to confront common challenges and of adopting diplomatic solutions to resolve crises, in a way that enhances security and peace in the region and the world.

Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, who chaired the gathering, said GCC countries stress the need to respect national sovereignty and protect maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.

In his opening remarks, Al Zayani welcomed the efforts that led to the cessation of hostilities and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran. He also welcomed the announcement by the Sultanate of Oman of a corridor for the safe passage of vessels through the strait.

As for Rubio, he said that any deal with Iran would take the interests of Gulf states into account.

"The reality of it is that no country on Earth has the right to charge for the use of international waterways. And that will never be an acceptable condition of any deal. The president's been fundamentally clear about that," said Rubio.