The agreement signed by the American company Chevron with the Greek government for natural gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean has triggered reactions in Ankara.

In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said that “Greece’s unilateral activities with international companies in hydrocarbon fields south of Crete, while not directly affecting our country’s maritime jurisdiction areas, constitute a violation of international law and good neighborly relations.”

The same statement emphasized that Ankara opposes “this illegal activity being attempted in violation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Jurisdiction Zones, signed in 2019 between our country and Libya, as well as the maritime zones communicated by Libya to the United Nations on 27 May 2025.”

The Turkish ministry also stressed that it continues to provide “the necessary support” to Libyan authorities so they can take initiatives against Greece’s “unilateral and illegal actions.”

During the weekly briefing of the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, Press and Public Relations Advisor Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk reiterated that Turkey is closely monitoring developments in the region and is taking “all necessary measures in line with its national interests.”