European countries reject Trump’s call to reopen Strait of Hormuz
trump urged allied navies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but major European governments refused. Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy declared they would not send warships and pushed for diplomatic measures after strikes widened the regional war and disrupted oil and gas shipments on Monday (ET). Australia says it was not directly asked to join any coalition, leaving the United States without the multinational naval force President trump sought.
Europe rejects Trump call
Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said there had been no joint decision to intervene and that Germany would not take part in military action: “There was never a joint decision on whether to intervene. That is why the question of how Germany might contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so. ” Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, added: “This is not our war, we have not started it. What does Donald Trump expect from a handful of European frigates in the strait of Hormuz that the mighty US navy cannot manage alone?” That comment directly challenged the appeal from President trump for allied naval help.
Keir Starmer, the prime minister, said the UK would not be “drawn into the wider war” but was working on “a viable plan” and stressed that reopening the strait to stabilise markets would require as many partners as possible. Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, said “diplomacy needs to prevail” and cast doubt on extending existing missions to the area. EU foreign ministers declined to broaden the remit of their Red Sea naval mission; Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said a proposal to change the mandate of Operation Aspides drew little enthusiasm from member states.
Allies insist on diplomacy, not a naval mission
At a press conference on Monday (ET), President trump warned of “a very bad future” for NATO if allies did not assist in reopening shipping lanes, and repeated his call for ships to protect commercial traffic. He reiterated he was “not happy with the UK, ” and in an interview said it was appropriate that beneficiaries of the strait should help ensure it remained open, adding that a negative response would be damaging to NATO’s future. European leaders emphasised negotiation and coordinated diplomatic steps over immediate military deployments.
France, Japan and Australia signalled they had no plans to send warships. In Canberra, Defence Minister Richard Marles said the government had not received a US request and was not contemplating sending a ship: “We’ve not received a request from the United States in respect of the Straits of Hormuz, ” he said on Tuesday (ET). That leaves the United States pressing for partners while many allies resist direct naval involvement.
Humanitarian concerns and what’s next
The wider conflict has already disrupted energy markets and worsened humanitarian needs across the region. Aid agencies in one country have launched an appeal, with Mat Tinkler, chief executive of Save the Children Australia, describing large-scale displacement and urgent relief needs; charities said funds would be used for food, shelter, medical aid and immediate supplies.
Diplomacy will be the immediate path forward: European leaders have signalled preference for negotiated solutions while defence ministers and EU officials weigh the limits of current mandates. Watch whether trump increases public pressure on NATO partners and whether formal requests for specific naval contributions are delivered to capitals; the next steps will hinge on whether Washington secures willing partners or pivots back toward bilateral military options.
