The ratification of the controversial Turkey-Libya maritime agreement has brought the deal back into the international spotlight seven years after it was signed, prompting renewed opposition from major regional powers and the European Union.

The decision by Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives in Benghazi immediately triggered diplomatic activity in Athens, as Greek officials moved to contain the fallout and prevent Turkey and Libya from using the agreement to establish new facts on the ground in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Greek government’s initial priority was to secure public opposition from influential regional countries and the EU, reinforcing the diplomatic and legal barriers surrounding the memorandum.

Following the parliament’s decision, Greece launched a coordinated diplomatic effort aimed at securing strong international statements condemning the ratification and reiterating longstanding objections to the agreement.

EU’s 27 member states respond in record time

The most significant diplomatic development came with a joint statement by all 27 EU member states, issued Wednesday evening with unusual speed for the bloc’s decision-making process.

The statement expressed strong disapproval of the ratification and reaffirmed the EU’s established position on the Turkey-Libya memorandum.

“The EU’s position regarding this Memorandum is firm and clear,” the statement said, referring to conclusions adopted by the European Council in December 2019 and reaffirmed in June 2025.

According to the EU, the memorandum violates the sovereign rights of third countries, is inconsistent with the law of the sea and cannot produce legal consequences for third states.

The bloc also reiterated its strategic interest in maintaining a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean, calling on all countries to respect the sovereign rights of EU member states in accordance with EU and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The statement also leaves open the possibility of restrictive measures under previous EU decisions concerning the maritime agreement and violations of member states’ sovereign rights.

Athens subsequently raised the issue at the United Nations Security Council. Acting on instructions from Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, Greece’s permanent representative, Aglaia Balta, briefed the council on the risks that the ratification poses to security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The diplomatic mobilization also produced reactions from Cyprus, Germany, Israel and Egypt, as well as the heads of the EU’s two principal institutions, the European Council and the European Commission.

Egypt reaffirms its opposition despite rapprochement with Turkey

Egypt’s response was particularly significant for Athens, given Cairo’s recent efforts to restore relations with Ankara.

That rapprochement had raised questions about whether Egypt would maintain the position it adopted in 2020, when it rejected the Turkey-Libya maritime agreement.

Any shift toward neutrality or a less critical stance could have complicated Greece’s strategically important relationship with Egypt and altered the diplomatic balance in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Instead, Cairo delivered a firm response, reiterating that it does not recognize the agreement and arguing that it infringes on Egypt’s sovereign rights over its continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Egypt’s objections are directed not only at Libya but also at Turkey, whose maritime claims underpin the disputed arrangement.

Cairo’s position carries additional weight because of its geographic proximity to Libya and its influence over the country’s political developments.

Egypt has traditionally viewed the expansion of Turkish influence in Libya with suspicion, particularly in light of Ankara’s earlier efforts to establish a stronger strategic presence around Egypt.

For Athens, the responses from Egypt and other regional governments strengthen the diplomatic case against the memorandum and signal that future efforts to implement it could encounter coordinated opposition.

Greece weighs its response without severing ties with Libya

Athens now faces the difficult task of managing its relationship with Libya while responding to the ratification.

The latest dispute complicates contacts with both the internationally recognized government in Tripoli and the eastern authorities in Benghazi, including cooperation on priority issues such as migration.

Greek officials must therefore consider measures that would impose a political or diplomatic cost on Libya without cutting off channels of communication with either side.

The stance adopted by the family of Khalifa Haftar, which exercises considerable influence in eastern Libya, has been especially disappointing for Athens.

Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis has rejected criticism that Greece was caught off guard by the ratification.

In a recent interview, he described efforts to prevent the approval of the agreement as a defensive diplomatic struggle dating back to 2019, when Turkey and Libya first signed the memorandum.

He also pointed to the complications created by Libya’s prolonged domestic political crisis and fragmented institutions.

Athens hopes the international opposition generated by the latest developments will discourage any Turkish-backed attempts to implement the agreement through practical activities in disputed maritime areas.

Greek officials also believe Tripoli may have reason to reassess its relationship with Athens now that Turkey is expanding its cooperation with eastern Libya, potentially reducing the western government’s previously privileged position in Ankara’s regional strategy.

The EU and Egypt are both influential actors in diplomatic efforts to resolve Libya’s political crisis, giving them potential leverage over future developments.

Their involvement could help deter moves designed to establish new maritime claims on the ground under the Turkey-Libya memorandum.

Crete-Cyprus electricity cable adds another layer of uncertainty

The dispute has also raised questions about its potential impact on efforts to restart seabed surveys for the planned electricity interconnection between Crete and Cyprus.

Diplomatic discussions are already underway to identify a formula that would allow work to resume without triggering a confrontation with Turkey.

Recent statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis have suggested that a possible compromise may be emerging.

Fidan indicated that written notification of the planned surveys could be sufficient, while Gerapetritis made clear that any formal request for authorization would be submitted exclusively to Greece.

The Greek minister stressed that informing Turkey about the activities would not amount to seeking Turkish permission.

Nevertheless, significant uncertainty remains over whether Ankara would refrain from intervening once surveys begin.

Turkish authorities could seek to impose additional conditions during the operation, even if they initially accepted written notification.

Under one scenario reportedly being discussed through French contacts with Turkey, the survey vessel would operate on the basis of Greek authorization, while Ankara would issue its own navigational warning, known as a NAVTEX, treating the written notification as an informal request for approval.

Such an arrangement could allow the work to proceed while enabling both sides to maintain their respective legal positions.

New NAVTEX dispute over Greece-Saudi Arabia data cable

Recent developments involving a separate telecommunications project illustrate the difficulties that could arise.

Turkey has already issued disputed NAVTEX notices concerning survey operations by the vessel Kobi Ruegg, which is preparing to conduct work associated with the East to Med Corridor (EMC), a data cable linking Greece and Saudi Arabia.

Ankara initially issued a NAVTEX covering areas within Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone where the Larnaca station had already published the relevant navigational notice.

Turkish authorities subsequently issued another notice concerning the vessel’s activities in areas of the Greek continental shelf and within Greece’s NAVTEX coordination area.

Greek authorities responded by issuing a NAVTEX canceling the Turkish notice and subsequently released a new one at the contractor’s request.

The Kobi Ruegg is expected to carry out its surveys under the latest Greek notice.

The episode highlights the risk of further disputes over maritime jurisdiction and survey permissions, even as diplomatic efforts continue to find a workable arrangement for the Crete-Cyprus electricity interconnection.

For Athens, the immediate objective is to translate the strong international response to the Turkey-Libya memorandum into a lasting diplomatic constraint on its implementation, while maintaining enough flexibility to manage relations with Libya and avoid further escalation with Ankara.