Libya

Russian support for Haftar likely to shift governance eastwards and hasten collapse of Libya's UN-backed government

On 11 January, Libyan militia leader General Khalifa Haftar met Russian officials aboard a Russian aircraft carrier off the coast of Tobruq, in eastern Libya. On 6 February, the EU Council of Foreign Ministers tacitly approved the inclusion of Haftar in a future Libyan government.

During the Tobruq meeting, Haftar secured Russian support in exchange for unspecified basing rights in eastern Libya, Al Jazeera reported on 22 January. This has prompted increased diplomatic activity from the European Union (EU) outlining an increased role for Haftar in the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) that underpins the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). This probably reflects an effort to dissuade Russia from backing the general as a new authoritarian leader for Libya.

Haftar commands the Libyan National Army (LNA), an umbrella group of militias affiliated to Libya's eastern parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR). He has previously signalled an ambition to lead Libya. Both Haftar and the HoR have refused to recognise the UN-backed GNA, based in the capital Tripoli.