Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has described a maritime boundaries agreement involving Turkey and Libya as “blatantly illegal, null and void”, renewing tensions over competing claims in the eastern Mediterranean.

The agreement was approved by Libya’s eastern parliament, according to Reuters. Mitsotakis argues that the arrangement disregards the position of Greek islands and conflicts with Greece’s interpretation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The dispute reflects a long-running disagreement over maritime zones, continental shelves and access to potential energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean. The competing positions have implications for regional diplomacy, offshore exploration and relations between NATO allies.

Mitsotakis urged Libya to negotiate maritime boundaries directly with Greece. He also said that Greek-led gas exploration near Crete would continue, while maintaining that Athens would not seek to escalate the dispute.

His comments came as the Greek leader also called for an international truce to protect Black Sea navigation after a drone attack sank a Greek-owned container ship off Bulgaria. The incident has highlighted the vulnerability of commercial shipping routes in a region affected by the war in Ukraine.

He warned that rising security risks have increased shipping and insurance costs. Greek shipowners, he said, would be prepared to resume Black Sea trade if safe passage could be guaranteed.

The prime minister also called for a stronger European naval presence in the Red Sea, arguing that the EU’s Aspides mission should receive additional participation and military assets. The remarks underline how maritime security challenges are increasingly connected across several neighbouring regions.

Diplomatic engagement and respect for international maritime law will be central to preventing further escalation. The dispute also demonstrates how energy exploration, shipping security and regional rivalries can overlap in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Source: Reuters, October 29, 2026.