EU warns Turkey over Aegean, Libya and Cyprus issues

The European Commission has issued a series of warnings to Turkey over its actions in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, including interference with the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector, the Turkish-Libyan maritime agreement, and its longstanding threat of war against Greece.

In its latest enlargement report, the Commission acknowledges an overall improvement in Greek-Turkish relations since 2023 but warns that renewed military activity, unresolved maritime disputes and challenges to the sovereignty of EU member states continue to undermine regional stability.

The report notes renewed airspace violations, including Turkish military aircraft overflights above Greek islands, and a significant increase in violations of Greek national airspace and territorial waters. Some of the reported overflights involved inhabited islands, with incidents recorded as recently as September 2026.

The Commission reiterates its opposition to the 2019 Turkish-Libyan maritime memorandum, which was ratified in October 2026 by Libya’s House of Representatives. Brussels maintains the agreement infringes on the sovereign rights of third countries and is incompatible with the law of the sea.

The Commission also criticizes Turkey’s obstruction of survey activities for the Great Sea Interconnector, an EU Project of Common Interest between Greece and Cyprus. Turkey’s actions are presented as part of a broader pattern of disputes affecting energy cooperation and maritime activities.

The report further highlights Turkey’s refusal to recognize the Republic of Cyprus and its support for a two-state solution, which contradicts UN Security Council resolutions. The Commission calls for Turkey to support a fair, comprehensive settlement within the UN framework and to reverse unilateral actions in Varosha.