U.S. Senator Rick Scott came out swinging against Erdogan on Tuesday after Libya's House of Representatives approved the...

U.S. Senator Rick Scott came out swinging against Erdogan on Tuesday after Libya's House of Representatives approved the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, calling it "another illegal and thuggish move by Erdogan" that "directly threatens the interests of America and our friend and ally, Greece." Scott went further, saying that if Erdogan won't act like an ally, he shouldn't enjoy the benefits of NATO membership. He posted his remarks alongside the Greek Foreign Ministry's formal rejection of the Libyan vote. Greece's Foreign Ministry made clear that a parliamentary vote in Tripoli changes nothing. The ministry stated that the memorandum remains "illegal, null and void," adding that geography and international law do not shift because of "unilateral, legally unfounded parliamentary decisions." The core legal problem is straightforward: Turkey and Libya do not share opposite or adjacent coastlines, which means the deal has no standing under UNCLOS, the global treaty governing maritime boundaries. Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis moved quickly after the vote, speaking with Cyprus FM Constantinos Kombos and Egyptian FM Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday to coordinate a response. Greece has already notified its partners and allies and said it will take every appropriate action to protect its sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean. The backlash is not limited to Athens or Washington. European Council President António Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen both issued a joint statement saying the Turkey-Libya deal "violates the sovereign rights of third states, does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and is null and void," reaffirming solidarity with Greece and Cyprus. Greece has already signed legitimate maritime delimitation agreements with Egypt and Italy, which stand in direct contrast to the Turkey-Libya deal. The 2019 memorandum has been rejected by international legal experts since it was first signed, and Tuesday's Libyan vote did nothing to change that standing. #Greece #Turkey #NATO