Italy, US agree to boost LNG ties and infrastructure investment

ROME, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Italy and the United States on Monday vowed to deepen energy ties including through increased exports to Italy of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as Europe continues to seek alternatives to Russian energy supplies following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin and U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, after talks in Rome, pledged to foster a "steady and secure" flow of American LNG to Europe, without committing to exact figures or timeframes.

They said they would aim to "encourage investments in LNG import and regasification infrastructure in Italy, as well as export infrastructure in the United States, to ensure efficient and resilient supply chains."

The European Union took steps to phase out imports of Russian gas and LNG, and the U.S. is set to boost its supplies as the bloc moves to end a decades-long energy relationship with Moscow which crumbled after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"U.S. LNG contributes to supply security thanks in part to the greater reliability of the route from the United States to Italy and Europe, compared with the geopolitical risks present on other routes," Pichetto Fratin said in a statement.

A potential increase in Italian imports of American LNG was discussed in Washington in April during a meeting between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump.