US allies decline Trump’s call for naval support in Strait of Hormuz

BERLIN/BRUSSELS/LONDON: Several allies of the United States said on Monday they had no immediate plans to send naval ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, pushing back against a request by US President Donald Trump for military assistance to secure the key global shipping route.

Trump had called on partner countries to help patrol the strategic waterway after Iran responded to US-Israeli strikes by deploying drones, missiles and naval mines, effectively disrupting tanker traffic through the strait, which normally carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Several European countries signalled reluctance to join any naval operation. Germany, Spain and Italy said they would not participate in such a mission for now, while others, including Britain and Denmark, said they were considering possible ways to help while stressing the need to avoid further escalation.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius questioned the effectiveness of deploying a small number of European naval vessels to the region.

“What does Donald Trump expect a handful of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful US Navy cannot?” Pistorius said in Berlin.

He added that Germany did not view the conflict as its war and had no intention of becoming involved.

A spokesperson for the German government said the conflict was not linked to NATO and that Berlin had not been consulted before the outbreak of hostilities.

“Neither the United States nor Israel consulted us before the war, and Washington had initially indicated that European assistance was neither necessary nor requested,” the spokesperson said.

Spain also said it would avoid taking steps that could escalate tensions, while Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said deploying naval vessels to a war zone would effectively mean entering the conflict.

“Italy is not at war with anyone, and sending military ships into a war zone would mean joining the war,” Salvini told reporters in Milan.

European countries, some of which have faced criticism from Trump over defence spending and NATO commitments, appeared cautious but indicated a willingness to explore diplomatic or collective options.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc was in discussions with the United Nations about the possibility of replicating an arrangement similar to the deal that allowed Ukrainian grain exports during the war with Russia.

Kallas also said the EU was considering whether the mandate of its naval mission in the Middle East, known as Operation Aspides, could be expanded to include the Strait of Hormuz. The mission currently protects commercial shipping in the Red Sea from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group.

However, Greece, which leads the Aspides mission, indicated it would limit its involvement to operations in the Red Sea.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London would work with allies on a collective approach to safeguard navigation through the strait but emphasised that Britain did not want to be drawn into a wider war.

Starmer noted that Britain possessed autonomous mine-hunting systems that could potentially be deployed in the region.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said European countries should remain open to contributing to efforts to reopen the strait while prioritising de-escalation.

Meanwhile, Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said that any potential NATO operation in the Gulf would require careful planning and agreement among member states.

“These are serious decisions, and any action must be feasible and effective. At present, no decision has been made,” Berendsen said in Brussels.