Over the weekend, beyond the harsh exchanges between Athens and Ankara over the Turkey-Libya Memorandum — which the EU condemned as illegal — negative signals also emerged from Eastern Libya. The “Prime Minister” of Benghazi, Osama Hamad, expressed support for the memorandum, while MPs in Tobruk announced plans for a parliamentary vote to ratify it, possibly within the week.

Greece has long struggled to establish a consistent Libya policy — dating back to the Gaddafi era, and especially after his fall, which left Libya a failed state. This absence of strategy cost Athens dearly in 2019 with the signing of the Turkish-Libyan maritime memorandum, which remains a major obstacle in Greek-Turkish relations.

Today, the fragmented landscape in Libya — not just between East and West, but also within the Tripoli-based factions — creates an explosive situation. In this climate, various actors seek foreign patrons and protectors, presenting Greece with serious diplomatic challenges.

International conflicts, migration, the repercussions of climate change and the Parthenon Marbles were among the topics covered during Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' interview on CNN with journalist Christiane Amanpour. The interview was given in New York, where Mitsotakis was attending the 79th UN General Assembly and released on Tuesday.

The smiles at the start of the Mitsotakis-Erdoğan meeting may have been a little…icy, but the mood during the conference was good. While the time may have been limited, it was enough to launch some immediate pending issues, such as the identification of the next Greek-Turkish Council, but also the reminder of the need to upgrade cooperation on immigration.