Türkiye announced exploration on the Greek shelf during Mitsotakis’ visit to Ankara

Türkiye announced the start of seismic research in the areas Greek continental shelf further south Crete during the Prime Minister’s visit Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara.

Ankara announced the start of seismic research in the areas Greek continental shelf south of Crete at the moment when the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was on a visit to Turkey and held negotiations with Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the so-called “normalization” of bilateral relations.

The decision was made as part of cooperation between Turkey And Libyawhich actually transferred to Ankara the right to conduct exploration work in the disputed maritime areas of the Eastern Mediterranean.

NEW: Turkish Petroleum wins a tender to conduct hydrocarbon exploration activities both off shore and on land for the Libyan oil and natural gas resources, Turkish Energy Minister Bayraktar announces pic.twitter.com/uiheyNb2JF

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) February 11, 2026

It is significant that the corresponding statement was made not by the Libyan side, but personally Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktaranwhich emphasizes Ankara’s level of control over the process.

In June 2025 Government of National Unity of Libya (GNU) and Türkiye signed a memorandum to conduct two-dimensional seismic surveys in four offshore zones. Three of them are located within Greek continental shelf south of Crete.

The agreement was also supported by the administration of Eastern Libya. The regional parliament is led by Haftar Caliphs also agreed to carry out work in disputed waters.

We are talking about the same political forces that appealed to the government in 2019 Kyriakos Mitsotakis asking for military assistance and the training of instructors to attack Tripoli and overthrow the pro-Western government.

Then Athens refused to actively intervene. The consequences of this decision are manifested today in the form of a strengthening of Turkey’s presence in the region and the expansion of its geopolitical influence.

The situation is developing against the backdrop of statements by the parties about their desire for dialogue and reduction of tensions in Greek-Turkish relationshowever, Ankara’s practical steps indicate the opposite trend.

Greek authorities view what is happening as direct challenge to a country’s sovereign rights and another attempt by Turkey to consolidate its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean through controversial agreements with third countries.

Athens is expected to raise this issue at European Union and international organizations as part of the protection of their maritime jurisdictions.

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