European countries reject Trump’s call for help to reopen strait of Hormuz
European Nations Reject Trump’s Appeal for Assistance in Reopening Hormuz Strait
European countries have declined to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz, even as Donald Trump warned that NATO could face a dire outcome if its members did not assist in reopening the critical waterway. Germany has dismissed participation in any military operations, including those aimed at restoring access to the strait. “There was no collective agreement on intervening, which explains why Germany’s potential military role remains uncertain. We will not take part,” said Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz emphasized that “this Iranian regime must come to an end,” but added that “based on all the experience we have gained in previous years and decades, bombing it into submission is, in all likelihood, not the right approach.”
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated, “This is not our war, we have not started it.” He questioned the expectation placed on European frigates, asking, “What does Donald Trump expect from a handful of European frigates in the strait of Hormuz that the mighty US navy cannot manage alone? This is the question I find myself asking.” Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted the nation would not be “drawn into the wider war” but was working on “a viable plan.” “Ultimately, we have to reopen the strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the [oil] market. That is not a simple task,” he said, though he did not rule out any form of action, provided it was supported by “many partners as possible.”
“There was in our discussions a clear wish to strengthen this operation, but for the time being, there was no appetite in changing the mandate,” said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
European diplomats have focused on peaceful initiatives to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which had transported roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas prior to its closure by Iran. Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, declared on Monday that “diplomacy needs to prevail” and confirmed his country was involved in no naval missions that could be extended to the area. He expressed skepticism about broadening existing EU missions in the Red Sea to cover the strait, noting they were “anti-piracy and defensive missions.”
The stance of the three leading European nations stood out as they had refrained from publicly criticizing Trump’s alliance with Israel in the recent 16-day strike campaign against Iran. Soon after the first attacks, the US president said the goal of the military campaign was regime change, but the conflict has since evolved into a broader regional war, driving up energy prices.
Australia, France, and Japan have confirmed they have no plans to send warships. At a press conference on Monday, Trump reiterated his call for allies to help reopen shipping in the strait, stating “some are very enthusiastic about it and some aren’t.” He also highlighted dissatisfaction with the UK, though he believed the nation would eventually get involved. Trump had previously urged other countries to join the effort by deploying ships to protect commercial vessels and unblock oil shipments.
Raising the pressure, Trump told the Financial Times in an interview on Sunday: “It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there. If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
The European Union foreign ministers meeting on Monday decided against extending the mission of Operation Aspides, a small naval initiative in the Red Sea, to include the strait of Hormuz. A proposal to adjust the mandate of the operation to support the strait faced little support from member states. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna added that US allies in Europe wanted clarity on Trump’s “strategic goals. What will be the plan?”
Greece, which hosts the headquarters for Operation Aspides, also declared it would not engage in military operations in the strait. Israel, meanwhile, announced it had launched a “wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure” in Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz. It claimed overnight attacks had destroyed a plane used by Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at Mehrabad airport in Tehran. According to Israeli officials, the aircraft had served senior Iranian political and military figures for domestic and international travel, as well as coordination with partner states.
