International opposition to the ratification of the Turkey-Libya memorandum

On October 20, 2026, the Libyan House of Representatives ratified the 2019 Turkey-Libya memorandum on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea. The Greek government, represented by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, immediately declared the agreement null and void, asserting that it violates international law and does not produce legal effects for third parties. Following Athens' request, Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Aglaia Balta, raised the issue during closed-door consultations at the UN Security Council, emphasizing the risks to regional stability.

In response, the 27 European Union member states issued a joint statement via the EU High Representative, echoing Greece's position that the memorandum lacks legitimacy. Meanwhile, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense expressed satisfaction with the ratification, claiming the agreement complies with international law and rejecting external criticism. The United States State Department has refrained from taking a definitive stance on the memorandum's legality, instead encouraging Greece and Turkey to resolve their maritime disputes through good-faith bilateral negotiations.

Following the escalation, Greece and Egypt held high-level discussions between their foreign ministers, George Gerapetritis and Badr Abdelatty. Both nations firmly rejected the memorandum and agreed to continue consultations aimed at expanding their own 2020 EEZ delimitation agreement, which currently remains a strategic counter-balance to the Turkish-Libyan claims.