European leaders have pushed back against a request by Donald Trump for allied support to secure the Strait of Hormuz, as foreign ministers from the European Union met in Brussels to address surging oil prices linked to the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.
The reaction followed Trump’s call for countries including the United Kingdom, China, France, Japan and South Korea, as well as other North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO members, to deploy naval forces to secure the critical waterway.
He had warned that failure to respond could have serious implications for the future of the alliance.
While US officials have been working to rally support for a possible multinational coalition to safeguard the strait, details about the composition and timing of such an arrangement remain unclear.
Despite Washington’s efforts, several European allies expressed caution about committing military assets to the volatile region amid an active conflict.
At the Brussels meeting, EU foreign ministers called for greater clarity from the United States regarding its objectives in the conflict and the timeline for achieving them, even as they considered the request for support.
Germany’s Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, said Berlin had no plans to participate in military operations related to the crisis, stressing the need for transparency from Washington and its partners.
“We expect from the US and Israel to inform us, to include us into what they’re doing there and to tell us if these goals are achieved.
“Once we have a clear picture of that, we believe we need to move into the next phase, namely, defining a security architecture for this entire region, together with the neighbouring states,” he said.
Wadephul added that NATO had not taken any decision regarding potential involvement in securing the strait.
Echoing that position, German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius emphasised that the conflict does not fall under NATO’s mandate.
“It is not NATO’s war. NATO is an alliance to defend the alliance area,” he said, noting that the United States had not consulted its allies before initiating the current military actions.
Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, also questioned the rationale behind the request.
“What does … Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US Navy cannot do? This is not our war. We have not started it,” he said.
Other European officials expressed similar reservations. Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said Athens would not take part in any military deployment in the strait, while Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, stated that Rome was not involved in any naval operations that could be extended to the region.
Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, said European allies were seeking clarity on Washington’s broader strategy.
“What will be the plan?” He asked.
Similarly, Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski, urged the United States to follow established diplomatic channels.
“If there is a request via NATO, we will, of course, out of respect and sympathy for our American allies consider it very carefully,” he said.
Europe rejects Trump’s call to secure Strait of Hormuz