The European Union (EU) on Monday rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand to become part of the naval mission to open the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing war between the US and Israel against Iran.
Earlier, the US president warned the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which primarily includes EU states, of serious consequences for not joining US military efforts to open the key global oil shipping route that has been closed by Iran.
Following Trump’s threats, EU foreign ministers met in Brussels and decided not to join Washington’s military campaign.
The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Kaja Kallas, said the bloc had “no appetite” to move the mandate of the EU naval mission Aspides in the Strait of Hormuz despite deepening energy crises caused by oil supply chain disruptions.
For context, Aspides is a defensive naval mission launched in February 2024 by the EU to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden against Houthi attacks.
Kallas said: “Nobody wants to go actively into this war,” after a meeting of foreign ministers from the 27 EU member states in Brussels.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli joint military attacks on the economy has severely affected global oil trade and the global oil economy, with prices rising above $100 per barrel. barrel.
Iran has warned that oil prices could go up to $200 a barrel and vows to continue fighting a long war with the US and Israel.
