European leaders have rejected a request by Donald Trump for allied support to secure the Strait of Hormuz, as foreign ministers from the European Union convened in Brussels to discuss rising oil prices linked to the ongoing US-Israel tensions with Iran.
The response came after Trump urged countries, including the United Kingdom, China, France, Japan, South Korea, and other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to deploy naval forces to protect the critical shipping route. He warned that failure to act could have consequences for the future of the alliance.
Although US officials have been seeking to build a multinational coalition to safeguard the strait, specifics regarding its structure and timeline remain unclear. Several European nations, however, have expressed reluctance to commit military resources amid the escalating conflict.
During the Brussels meeting, EU foreign ministers called on Washington to provide clearer details about its objectives and the expected timeline for resolving the crisis before any commitments are made.
Germany’s Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, said Berlin had no intention of joining military operations, stressing the need for transparency.
“We expect the US and Israel to inform us, to include us in 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 neighboring states,” he said.
Wadephul added that NATO had not taken any decision regarding possible involvement in securing the waterway.
Backing that stance, German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said the conflict falls outside NATO’s mandate.
“It is not NATO’s war. NATO is an alliance to defend the alliance area,” he stated, adding that the United States did not consult allies before launching its current military actions.
Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, also questioned the proposal.
“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 voiced similar concerns. Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said Athens would not participate in any deployment, while Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, noted that Rome was not engaged in naval operations that could be extended to the region.
Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, said European allies were still awaiting clarity on Washington’s broader strategy.
“What will be the plan?” he asked.
Similarly, Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski, urged the US to follow established diplomatic processes.
“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.
