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The European Union has initiated the creation of a strategic transport corridor from Alexandroupolis (Greece) to Odessa (Ukraine), passing through Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova. It will be part of the extension of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and will cover the development of roads, railways, ports and airports. In June 2024, the EU Council approved the updated Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Regulation, which envisages the extension of European transport corridors to Ukraine and Moldova.
The financing will be provided through a combination of EU funds and the national budgets of the participating countries.
The initiative is based on a tripartite agreement between Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, to which Moldova and Ukraine also join. In the framework of the fourth Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit in June, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched the construction of a transport corridor connecting the Greek port of Alexandroupolis with Odessa via Bulgaria and Romania. The transport corridor is planned to connect the Greek port of Alexandroupolis with Odessa via Varna and the Romanian city of Constanta. The length of the route will be about 1 000 kilometers. This will be a multi-profile project, including transport railways, power lines and pipelines, and transport in this way will be faster than sea transport. The Alexandroupolis-Odessa corridor should be ready by 2030.
In connection with the construction of the Alexandroupolis-Odessa transport corridor, the Greek Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas held a videoconference meeting with the relevant ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine, with the participation of the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Zidzikostas. The purpose of the videoconference was to discuss preparations for the meeting of the heads of state and government of the five countries, which will be held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
For his part, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, discussed strengthening coordination and actions to renew the Alexandroupolis-Odessa axis.
For Bulgaria, the modernization of the port of Varna and the infrastructure to its northern border is of particular importance, turning the country into a central hub between the Aegean and Black Seas.
For Greece, this project strengthens cross-border cooperation and ensures that its ports will maintain their status as strategic gateways to Europe. The corridor is expected to stimulate economic growth in the region, create new jobs and improve access to public services.
Among the key objectives of the project is the integration of the transport systems of Ukraine and Moldova into the European space.
The Greek port of Alexandroupolis has already established itself as an important logistical and military hub for the US and NATO in Eastern Europe, which gives the corridor additional military and strategic importance.
Geopolitically, the corridor strengthens Ukraine’s relationship with the EU, provides alternative supply routes in the event of a crisis, and reduces regional dependencies. In addition to economic benefits, the corridor will provide a convenient transport network that can be used to quickly move NATO military contingents through the territories of the participating countries.
