European countries reject Trump’s call for help to reopen strait of Hormuz
European countries reject Trump’s call for help to reopen strait of Hormuz
European nations have declined to deploy naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz, despite Donald Trump’s warnings that NATO faces a “very bad future” if members do not assist in restoring access to the critical waterway. Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, stated that the country would not join any military actions, including those aimed at reopening the strait. “This is not our war, we have not started it,” Pistorius remarked. “What does Donald Trump expect from a handful of European frigates when the mighty US navy alone cannot manage the task? That is the question I find myself asking,” he added.
“NATO is an alliance for the defence of territory,” said a spokesperson for Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz. “We lack the authority to expand its mandate beyond its current scope.”
Keir Starmer, the UK’s prime minister, emphasized that his country would not be drawn into a broader regional conflict but was working on a “viable plan” to secure the strait. “Ultimately, we must reopen the strait to ensure stability in the oil market. This is no simple task,” Starmer noted. He left open the possibility of action but stressed the need for broad consensus among allies.
European diplomats have prioritized diplomatic solutions to reopen the strait, which had previously accounted for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied fossil gas shipments. Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, reiterated that “diplomacy needs to prevail” and confirmed his nation was not participating in naval missions that could be extended to the area. He questioned the feasibility of broadening existing EU missions in the Red Sea, which are focused on anti-piracy and defensive operations.
The three major European powers—Germany, the UK, and France—have aligned against Trump’s push for military involvement, mirroring the stance of Israel. This came as Trump claimed the US-led strikes on Iran, alongside Israel, were intended to bring about regime change. However, the conflict has since escalated into a broader regional crisis, pushing energy prices to record highs. Trump had urged other nations to send ships to the strait to protect commercial vessels and ensure oil shipments continue.
Trump’s remarks in an interview with the Financial Times underscored his demand for international support: “It’s only appropriate that those who benefit from the strait help ensure nothing bad happens there. If there’s no response or a negative one, it will be very bad for NATO’s future.”
Meanwhile, the EU foreign ministers convened on Monday to discuss strategies for reopening the strait, but disagreements persisted over whether to expand their small Red Sea mission to include Hormuz. Greece, which hosts the headquarters for Operation Aspides, also confirmed it would not engage in military operations in the strait. Israel announced it had launched a “wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure” in Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz, including the destruction of a plane linked to Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at Mehrabad airport.
According to Israeli officials, the aircraft had been used by senior Iranian political and military leaders for domestic and international travel, as well as coordinating with partner states. An Israeli military spokesperson, Nadav Shoshani, revealed detailed operational plans for the next three weeks, with additional strategies in development. “Our goal is to weaken this regime and degrade all its security capabilities,” Shoshani explained.
The conflict has intensified across the Gulf, with oil-loading operations at the UAE’s Fujairah port suspended after a drone attack ignited a fire. Fujairah, located near the Strait of Hormuz, handles roughly a million barrels of crude oil daily—about 1% of global demand. Civil defense teams are working to contain the blaze, with no casualties reported. A separate incident near Dubai airport saw a fuel tank set ablaze due to drone activity, briefly disrupting air traffic. In central Israel, air raid sirens were triggered after an Iranian missile strike was intercepted, causing debris to fall near Tel Aviv.
