US calls Turkey-Libya maritime deal 'unhelpful and provocative' amid regional backlash

The Trump State Department denounced the recent eastern Mediterranean maritime agreement between NATO member Turkey and the fractured Libyan state.

The Turkey-Libya deal has also caused frustration and anger among many nations because they say it rewrote the established sea borders of the sensitive Mediterranean Sea region, where large deposits of gas might be located.

The Eastern Libyan parliament approved the maritime accord in mid-October. The region is ruled by military leader Khalifa Haftar, who has formed an alliance with Turkey — the maritime deal ignores Libya’s internationally recognized government in Tripoli in the northwestern part of the oil-rich country. 

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital: "The announcement of the ratification of the Turkish-Libyan delimitation memorandum of understanding has raised tensions in the region and is unhelpful and provocative — and our position on this matter has not changed."

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The spokesperson added: "We encourage all countries, including partners in the Eastern Mediterranean, to resolve maritime disputes through good-faith negotiations and avoid any provocative behavior. Greece and Türkiye are both NATO allies. We encourage them to engage bilaterally to address any areas of disagreement."

According to the spokesperson, "Peaceful resolution of such disputes opens the way for commercial investment and exploration that will benefit the entire region."

According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday said the maritime agreement between Turkey and Libya was "entirely legitimate" and not in violation of international law.

He added: "This is an entirely legitimate agreement, both from a legal and a political perspective. There is no need to debate it."

Reuters reported Fidan also shot back at critics of the deal. "There are countries reacting to this. We know why they are reacting. Some are doing so because they need to, some really do have strategic problems with this issue. ​ However, this is an entirely legitimate deal, both from a legal and a statutory perspective. ​There is no need to argue this."

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Fox News Digital sought comment from both Turkey and Libya but did not get a response by time of publication.

Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis angrily wrote on his ministry’s website that, "The memorandum will not be implemented. And it will not be implemented for the simple reason that it produces no legal effects whatsoever, as it is entirely contrary to international law." He added, "Türkiye had established a system of influence in Libya, essentially seeking to advance its own interests" and the Turkish media has ramped up its anti-Greece rhetoric. "There is a constant stream of reports pushing the Turkish government to become even more aggressive."

Endy Zemenides, the executive director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, told Fox News Digital that the Turkey-Libya agreement "absolutely" endangers the security of the U.S. and its allies.

He said: "This memorandum specifically infringes on U.S. companies and U.S. energy policy. It effectively denies maritime rights and zones of Crete. Crete is NATO’s southernmost base. And the U.S. has been increasingly relied upon because of wars in the Mideast." He noted that the American companies Exxon and Chevron are present in Crete.

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Zemenides said the Turkey-Libya deal is a way of pushing the U.S. out of the region. The U.S. has not been able to rely on Turkey for a decade, said Zemenides. He continued that "allowing Turkey to challenge the pro-Western order" is not good for American interests.

The European Union invoked unusually strong language targeting the deal, declaring it in violation of maritime law.

"The EU position regarding the MoU is firm and clear. As outlined in the European Council Conclusions of December 2019 and reiterated in June 2025, the Türkiye-Libya Memorandum of Understanding infringes upon the sovereign rights of third States and does not comply with the Law of the Sea. It is null and void and cannot produce any legal consequences for third States."

Israel also blasted Turkey and Libya. The Jewish state has developed a troika alliance with both Greece and Cyprus. Israel’s foreign ministry said on X it "strongly condemns the decision of the Libyan House of Representatives to ratify the Maritime Jurisdiction Memorandum between Turkey and Libya."

Israel’s foreign ministry added on X, "This agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of our close allies in the region. Regretfully, once again we see Turkey working to destabilize the east Mediterranean region."

Reuters contributed to this report.