Greece admits: 'Türkiye change the rules of the game' - Milliyet

Milliyet AppUygulamayı AçWebWeb'de Devam Et ENGreece admits: 'Türkiye change the rules of the game'NewsGreece Admits: 'Türkiye Change The Rules Of The Game'Greece admits: 'Türkiye change the rules of the game'10.09.2026 - 09:26 | Last Updated: 10.09.2026 - 09:26

MİLLİYET.COM.TR / The stepsTürkiye has taken are expanding Ankara’s room to maneuver in the region while also undermining the strategic calculations Athens has built upon for years.

Greek analyst George Koutsoumis, writing an analysis for theGreece-based Capital.gr, noted that Türkiye’s move to open up to Benghazi while maintaining its current relations with Tripoli—and its development of a functional channel with Egypt regarding Libya—has shifted the regional balance of power.

In his analysis titled “The Rules of the Game Are Changing: What Are the Risks for Greece?”, Koutsoumis highlighted the new landscape Ankara has created in its Libya policy. According to the analyst, Türkiye is no longer merely monitoring developments in Libya from a single center but has become a powerful regional actor capable of engaging with the country’s various political and military actors simultaneously.

One of the most notable aspects of the analysis was the visits made from Türkiye to Libya. The Greek analyst claimed, “All these visits demonstrate that Ankara has expanded its diplomatic reach and sphere of influence in Libya. While Türkiye maintains its relations and existing agreements with the Tripoli government, it is also establishing direct communication channels with political and military actors in Benghazi.”

Meanwhile, according to Koutsoumis, the most significant consequence of this development for Greece becomes apparent at this point.

The Greek analyst noted that while a dispute between Ankara and Cairo had long been seen as a factor working in Athens’ favor, relations between Türkiye and Egypt have recently been on a positive trajectory. He added, “Türkiye’s establishment of direct contact with Benghazi has also begun to alter this picture. “Thus, Türkiye is rising to a position where it can keep communication channels open in both western and eastern Libya. All of Athens’ calculations, however, are being thrown off course,” he said.

Another development increasing Türkiye’s influence in Libya is the intensification of contacts between Cairo and Ankara. Koutsoumis remarked, “Thus, Türkiye and Egypt are moving toward a new foundation where they can act without excluding one another, in contrast to their previously opposing positions in Libya. The critical point here is that Türkiye is becoming a permanent actor in the Libyan equation—one that is factored in by Egypt rather than excluded,” he assessed.

According to Koutsoumis, the main risk for Greece is whether Ankara will seek a new or revised agreement in the future that grants it broader political legitimacy within Libya. The Greek analyst pointed out that Athens has three key priorities in light of the changing situation, stating, “First and foremost is the preservation of our strategic relationship with Cairo, regardless of the course of Türkiye-Egypt relations. “The second priority is the need to strengthen the Greek presence in both Tripoli and Benghazi. Third is accelerating the Greece-Libya border demarcation process,” he said.

At the end of the analysis, a striking characterization emerged that brought all these developments together. Koutsoumis argued that the most important development Athens must closely monitor is “the new Ankara-Benghazi-Cairo triangle encircling Greece.”