Italy and Türkiye in Libya: between pragmatism and cooperation

The trilateral summit between Türkiye, Italy, and the Libyan government represents an additional layer in the evolving diplomatic and economic relations among the three actors. Challenging widespread narratives that depict Türkiye’s role in Libya as a neo-colonial or neo-Ottoman project, this brief argues that realities on the ground are far more complex. Rather than open rivalry, Italy and Türkiye appear to share converging strategic interests on several key dossiers, a trend reinforced by renewed US engagement in Libya. While this alignment reflects a common commitment to supporting political solutions, the paper highlights the persistent challenges of Libya’s transition, including the lack of inclusive dialogue and the absence of a shared roadmap capable of overcoming the entrenched East–West divide.