Libya increasingly looks like a renewed front for Russia's hybrid war on Europe—and what Spain and Italy must do to parry Moscow's insidious ambitions in the Mediterranean.

• With full focus on Ukraine, Europe risks overlooking severe security challenges emerging in Libya.

• Migrant flows from Libya are once again surging, precisely at a time when European powers (most notably Greece and Italy) are increasingly alarmed by Russia’s growing influence in the volatile North African country.

• This influence is channeled through arms supplies and the potential establishment of a new naval base in Libya's northeastern port city of Tobruk.

• Italy’s foreign minister labeled Libya an "emergency Europe must address collectively."

• And Greece has even sent two warships to Eastern Libya, trying to deter any such action.

• Yet, so far, Europe as a whole has been rather soft and has not imposed any costs on the pro-Russian faction in Libya - and a recent European diplomatic initiative to explore solutions rapidly devolved into embarrassment.

• An EU delegation comprising the Migration Commissioner and ministers from Italy, Greece, and Malta was abruptly declared "persona non grata" by eastern Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar's administration in Benghazi and ordered to leave amid accusations of unspecified violations.

• Europe as a whole must awaken to Russia’s expanding ambitions in Libya - using the country as the pivotal point for its African strategy and a potential new front to launch its hybrid attacks against Europe.

• And let's look at all the ways how Russia is well positioned to do just that: