ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- A U.S. Cabinet official overseeing a planned expansion of natural gas exports to Europe said Thursday that Greece could play a key role through its pipeline system that extends across the region.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visited a liquefied natural gas terminal outside Athens that is linked to a bidirectional pipeline network reaching as far as Ukraine.

"The Trump administration has a couple of goals relative to energy," Burgum, a top energy adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, said during talks in Athens with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

"One of those is energy abundance -- to sell energy to our friends and allies so they do not have to buy from our adversaries," Burgum said. "There are so many opportunities for participation by Greek companies and by the country of Greece to contribute to energy security for Eastern Europe."

More than half of the European Union's LNG supply comes from the United States, with imports surging after Russia -- a traditional supplier -- invaded Ukraine in 2022. Under an EU-U.S. trade deal reached this summer, imports are set to rise further.

Burgum's visit came a day after U.S. energy giant Chevron announced a joint bid with Greek partner Helleniq Energy to explore for offshore gas reserves off Greece's western coast and south of the island of Crete.

Libya has objected to the plan, arguing that it encroaches on maritime areas where it claims jurisdiction.