Greece on Friday hailed as "historic" a deal with US energy giant ExxonMobil that could see the country's first offshore drilling project in 40 years.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the agreement would open "a new chapter in Greece's energy history", coming on the heels of an exploration deal with Chevron last month.

His government has long sought to position Greece as a key player in gas deliveries to Europe, as Washington seeks every opportunity to squeeze out Russia's energy influence in the region.

Environmental campaigners however criticised the deal, saying it represented a "huge risk" for whales and dolphins living in the local depths.

The deal was signed Thursday on the sidelines of a two-day conference in Athens attended by four members of the US cabinet including Ene

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