Athens and Rome Urge Brussels to Act on Libya Crisis

The European Union is facing mounting pressure to address the escalating crisis in Libya, which has evolved into a security emergency driven by surging migration flows and growing foreign influence.Greece and Italy will raise the issue at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday, amid rising diplomatic tensions and concerns over regional instability.

A European official confirmed that “Libya will be discussed by foreign ministers, though not primarily from a migration perspective.”

Nevertheless, Greece, Italy, and Malta are expected to highlight migration as a critical European security concern according to greek city times

Following a recent diplomatic incident in Benghazi during an EU delegation visit led by European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, Athens and Rome have urged allies, including Paris and Washington, to increase their involvement. According to Politico, these efforts have so far yielded “little success.”

Italy is particularly alarmed by Russia’s expanding presence in Libya and the prospect of a Russian naval base in Tobruk. Meanwhile, Greece remains cautious of Turkey’s influence, especially following the 2019 Turkish-Libyan agreements, which Athens considers “illegal.”

At last week’s Ukraine conference in Rome, the European Commission president and the prime ministers of Greece, Italy, and Malta agreed to dispatch a new delegation to Benghazi. However, EU officials have cited security concerns as a reason for delaying the timeline.

According to Il Fatto Quotidiano, Brussels is frustrated by Italy’s “special relationship” with the Benghazi government, highlighted by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s recent visit to Italy.

EU officials reportedly blame Rome for undermining the previous EU mission, which culminated in the delegation being expelled from Libya as “personae non gratae.”