Italy is in preliminary talks with Bavaria’s government to supply gas and hydrogen to the southern German state, and also aims to sell energy to Austria and Hungary, four Italian and German industry and political sources told Reuters.

The conservative government of Giorgia Meloni has laid out plans to turn Italy into an energy gateway between Europe and Africa, capitalising on demand from neighbours seeking to reduce their dependence on Russian gas.

Eni, Italy’s largest importer of natural gas, has countered lower Russian supply by shipping increasing volumes from Africa, where it has had a presence for decades. It and other Italian shippers now plan to step up sales of excess gas.

“Austria, Bavaria and Hungary too,” Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin told Reuters when asked about customers Italy could serve via the Adriatic Line, a gas pipeline that grid operator Snam aims to build by 2027.