Diplomatic tensions rise as Libya's parliament ratifies maritime deal with Turkey

On October 20, 2026, the Libyan House of Representatives ratified the 2019 memorandum of understanding between Turkey and Libya concerning the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea. The European Union, led by High Representative Kaja Kallas, issued a formal declaration stating that the memorandum violates the sovereign rights of third states, fails to comply with the Law of the Sea, and lacks legal standing for third parties. Greece, Egypt, and other regional actors have rejected the move as illegal, prompting the Greek Permanent Representative to the UN, Aglaia Balta, to send a formal letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres detailing the invalidity of the agreement.

In response to this development, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty have agreed to accelerate diplomatic efforts to expand their existing 2020 maritime boundary agreement. The current pact covers the area between the 26th and 28th meridians, and both nations are now seeking to extend these technical consultations to areas east of the 28th meridian. Meanwhile, the United States has avoided taking a specific position on the memorandum's legality, instead encouraging Greece and Turkey to resolve their maritime disputes through good-faith bilateral negotiations. Turkey continues to maintain that the memorandum remains in force, a stance echoed by the unrecognized administration in the occupied northern Cyprus.