US Senator Rick Scott Accuses Turkiye Of ‘Thuggish Behaviour’ Toward Greece And Cyprus

A US senator has accused Turkiye of “thuggish behaviour” towards Greece and Cyprus, questioning Ankara’s commitment to NATO amid longstanding disputes over airspace, maritime boundaries and the divided Mediterranean island.

Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida made the remarks on Saturday, October 17, during visits to Greece and Cyprus. Speaking to The Associated Press in Athens, Scott said Turkiye was “not acting like a NATO ally”, citing its military flights over Greek airspace and its continued military presence in northern Cyprus.

“You’re not acting like a NATO ally when you take F-16s and fly over somebody else’s country. You’re not much of an ally when you occupy a portion of another country’s land,” Scott said, adding that he hoped Ankara would change its behaviour.

The senator’s comments come as tensions have resurfaced over the proposed Great Sea Interconnector, an undersea electricity cable designed to connect Greece and Cyprus, with a possible extension to Israel. The project aims to strengthen regional energy security and connect Cyprus to the wider European electricity market.

The 1.9-billion-euro project has faced delays amid disputes over the maritime areas through which the cable would pass. Greece has said its developer applied for permission to resume seabed surveys, a key step towards advancing the initiative.

Turkiye maintains that it should be consulted before the surveys proceed, arguing that the proposed route crosses an area covered by its 2019 maritime agreement with Libya. Greece rejects Ankara’s claims over the disputed area.

Greece and Turkiye are both members of NATO, but have been locked in decades-long disagreements over maritime boundaries in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, following a Turkish military intervention that led to the island’s division.

Scott, who serves on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, held talks with Greek officials on defence and energy. He also expressed support for stronger cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel.

“I think what Greece, Cyprus and Israel are doing is going to be good. It’s good for them, good for us,” Scott said, adding that Washington would do everything possible to support the project and prevent Turkiye from creating obstacles.

His remarks followed a visit to Athens by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has also discussed regional cooperation and energy security.

Scott further said the US-Greek relationship would remain stable despite the recent departure of US ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle. The White House had publicly called for her resignation over allegations of improper and potentially illegal conduct, which she denies.