European nations have rejected US President Donald Trump’s request for military support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Foreign ministers from the European Union met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss rising oil prices and the potential risks of committing forces to the strategic waterway.
Trump had urged allies including the UK, China, France, Japan, and South Korea to send ships to secure the strait, warning that NATO’s credibility could be affected if they did not cooperate. US officials have been working to form a coalition, though its members and timeline remain unclear.
European leaders expressed caution, emphasizing that they do not want to be drawn into an active war. Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin had no intention of joining military operations, calling for clarity on the US and Israel’s objectives and the duration of the conflict. “NATO has not made any decision on assuming responsibilities in the Strait of Hormuz,” he stated.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius echoed this sentiment, questioning what a limited European naval presence could achieve compared to the US Navy. Greece, Italy, Estonia, and Poland also indicated that they would not participate in military actions without clear strategic goals or proper NATO requests.
Some EU officials, however, stressed the importance of keeping options open to ensure freedom of navigation. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the bloc must plan with a focus on de-escalation, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed London is working on a plan to restore navigation but insisted it would avoid a wider war.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas highlighted the broader economic impact of the strait’s closure, noting that oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel and that Russia benefits financially from the disruption.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said it is prepared to release additional oil reserves to mitigate the crisis, after already releasing a record 400 million barrels last week. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol noted that while this action helped lower oil prices, it is not a long-term solution as the strait remains blocked.
The standoff underscores deep divisions between the US and its European allies over how to respond to the conflict in the Gulf and the risks of military escalation in the region.
