Turkish foreign policy in the Eastern Mediterranean is driving maritime tensions

Turkey's focus on securing access to lucrative natural gas fields is driving a more aggressive foreign policy in the Eastern Mediterranean, including in the ongoing Libya conflict. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pressing on with illegal drilling around Cyprus, and in December signed a controversial maritime deal with Libya. Escalating tensions between Turkey and a range of international actors over the issue are therefore increasingly likely to result in maritime disruption.

Key points include:

• What is driving Turkish foreign policy
• Recent developments including Turkish cyber attacks
• Threat to the maritime sector