Hormuz Strait: EU Rejects Trump’s Call to Send Naval Forces

Darwin, 17 March:

Europe has rejected a call from U.S. President Donald Trump to send warships and naval forces to protect commercial vessels in the strategically important international trade route, the Strait of Hormuz.

The 27 member states of the European Union held a meeting on Monday at the EU headquarters in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, to discuss the issue. After the meeting, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told journalists in a briefing, “Europe has no interest in this open war, and no EU member state is willing to be actively involved in any military action against Iran.”

According to Anadolu News Agency, similar remarks were made by Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. In a post-meeting briefing, he said that EU naval missions are currently providing security to commercial ships and conducting anti-piracy operations in various seas. Because of those ongoing responsibilities, it is not possible for the missions to move to the Strait of Hormuz at this time.

“If it were possible, we would certainly send our navy and warships to the Strait of Hormuz, but at the moment it is not feasible. EU naval missions are already performing their duties in different seas,” he added.

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz was also present at Monday’s meeting. Responding directly to journalists, he said, “We do not want to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz because we want this crisis to be resolved politically.”

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, is an extremely important route for international energy trade. About 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied gas tankers pass through this route every day.

The Strait of Hormuz is also called the “global gateway of energy,” because oil-producing countries in the Middle East export their oil through this passage. Without it, supplying Middle Eastern oil to Western countries would be much more difficult.

After the war between the United States and Israel against Iran began on the 28th of last month, Iran imposed strict restrictions on ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz. Tanker ships flying the flags of different countries have also been attacked.

According to United Kingdom sources, more than 12 tankers from different countries have been attacked by Iran over the past 15 days while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

On March 15, President Donald Trump called on allied countries to send naval forces to guard commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.