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The European Union strongly regrets the Libyan parliament’s ratification of the 2019 Turkey-Libya memorandum on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday, reaffirming the bloc’s solidarity with Greece and Cyprus.
We deeply regret the ratification today by the Libyan Parliament of the so-called Libyan-Türkiye Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea.
We recall that the EU’s position on this matter was clearly stated by the European Council in 2019 and remains unchanged.
This agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, it does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and is null and void.
We reaffirm our solidarity with Greece and Cyprus.
We reiterate the EU’s well known position against any outside interference in Libya.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 20, 2026
Taking to X, von der Leyen she stressed that the EU’s position on the agreement, as stated by the European Council in 2019, remains unchanged.
The memorandum, she said, infringes on the sovereign rights of third states, does not comply with the Law of the Sea and is “null and void.”
Von der Leyen’s statement reinforces the EU’s longstanding opposition to the deal, which has been challenged by Greece over its implications for Greek sovereign rights and maritime entitlements in the eastern Mediterranean.
The European Commission president also reaffirmed the bloc’s solidarity with Greece and Cyprus, while reiterating the EU’s “well known position against any outside interference in Libya.”
On his part, European Council President Antonio Costa’s Tweet on X read:
We deeply regret the ratification today by the Libyan Parliament of the so-called Libyan-Türkiye Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea.
We recall that the EU’s position on this matter was clearly stated by the European Council in 2019 and remains unchanged. This agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, it does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and is null and void.
We reaffirm our solidarity with Greece and Cyprus.
We reiterate the EU’s well known position against any outside interference in Libya.
— António Costa (@eucopresident) October 20, 2026