The ship’s return was “necessary to create the much-needed space for dialogue,” von der Leyen added, voicing solidarity with Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus and pledging to protect “their legitimate sovereignty rights.”
Turkey on Monday returned the Oruc Reis, an energy exploration ship, to port for restocking and maintenance work.
Greece, Southern Cyprus, and other EU members have tried to block Turkey’s energy exploration, claiming it is searching in Greek waters, using a maximalist view of Athens’ maritime territory based on small islands near the Turkish coast.
Turkey – the country with the longest coastline on the Mediterranean – says this view is illegal and makes no sense, and has urged negotiations with no preconditions to lay out fair sharing of the region’s resources.
On the stalled Brexit negotiations, Von der Leyen took aim at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s controversial plan to pass a law violating international law.