European countries, including France, Greece and Cyprus, feel threatened by Turkey using Libya to extend its hold on gas-rich regional waters in violation of international law. As a result, the regional disputes plaguing the Middle East and North Africa have become European problems, despite the confusion that dominates the positions of the major countries on the continent such as France and Germany in curbing Turkish expansion.

Dr James M Dorsey, an expert on Middle East issues at RSIS, believes that Turkey’s participation in the wars in Libya and Syria has fuelled Emirati efforts to bring Europe and the United States to its side in its conflict with Turkey and beyond with political Islam-affiliated groups.