In a clear reference to the illegal MoU between Turkey and Libya on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, underlined that the EU had a strategic interest in maintaining peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean region, adding that it expects all countries to respect the sovereignty of all EU member states.

Kallas stated that the EU wanted third countries to act in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

She went on to add that abstaining from unilateral actions that contravened the interests of the EU and violated international law and the sovereign rights of EU member states remained the fundamental precondition for securing stability and a safe environment in the region.

As recalled by the European Council in June 2025, the Turkey-Libya memorandum of understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Mediterranean violates the sovereign rights of third states, is not in line with customary law based on the law of the sea, and cannot produce legal consequences for third countries. The European Union firmly believes that maritime boundary disputes must be settled peacefully, in particular through negotiations conducted in good faith and with full respect for international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).