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
Donald Trump has urged NATO members to assist in reopening the strategic strait of Hormuz, but European nations have declined to deploy naval forces to the critical waterway. Despite his warnings of a “very bad future” for the alliance if action is not taken, Germany emphasized its reluctance to participate in military efforts. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated, “This is not our war, we have not started it,” questioning whether the US navy alone could manage the situation. He added, “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.”
A spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz noted on Monday that NATO’s primary role is territorial defense, and the alliance lacked a clear mandate for such an operation. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer asserted that his country would not be drawn into a broader regional conflict but was developing “a viable plan” to address the issue. “Ultimately, we have to reopen the strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the [oil] market. That is not a simple task,” he explained, without dismissing the possibility of coordinated action.
EU ministers debate military response
European Union foreign ministers convened on Monday to discuss options for restoring access to the strait, which serves as a key conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied fossil gas. However, consensus on extending their small Red Sea naval mission to Hormuz remained elusive. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani highlighted the need for diplomacy, stating that his nation was not involved in any naval operations that could be expanded to the area. He expressed skepticism about broadening the scope of existing EU missions, which are primarily focused on anti-piracy and defensive tasks.
The three major European powers—Germany, the UK, and France—have maintained a unified stance, avoiding criticism of Trump’s decision to target Iran alongside Israel. This position contrasts with Trump’s insistence that beneficiaries of the strait must take part in securing it. In an interview with the Financial Times, he warned, “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.”
Regional tensions escalate
The conflict has intensified across the Gulf, with oil-loading operations suspended at the UAE’s Fujairah port following a drone attack that sparked a fire. Located near the strait of Hormuz, Fujairah handles approximately one million barrels of crude oil daily—about 1% of global demand. Civil defense teams worked to extinguish the blaze, though no injuries were reported. Separately, a drone strike near Dubai airport caused a fuel tank to ignite, briefly disrupting air traffic.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens echoed in central Israel after an Iranian missile was intercepted, resulting in debris falling near Tel Aviv. The incident underscored the growing reach of the conflict. Israel also announced that it had conducted a “wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure” in Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz, claiming to have destroyed a plane previously used by Iran’s late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at Mehrabad airport. According to Israeli officials, the aircraft had been instrumental in domestic and international travel, as well as coordination with allied states. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, revealed that detailed operational plans were in place for the next three weeks, with additional strategies set to follow.
