European Countries Stand Firm on Hormuz, Urge Trump to Pursue Talks

Refusing to buckle under Donald Trump’s pressure, European governments have held firm in their refusal to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz, urging the United States to pursue negotiations rather than military escalation. Trump had threatened NATO with serious consequences if its members failed to assist in reopening the passage, which carries a significant share of global oil and gas supply. But European leaders remained united in their assessment that military force deployed without a collective mandate and clear objectives was not the right approach.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz was the most explicit, ruling out any German military involvement and backing that decision with historical arguments about the ineffectiveness of bombing campaigns. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius questioned the rationale of the request, suggesting that the scale of US naval power made the notion of European frigates making a material difference implausible. Together, they presented Germany’s refusal as both a practical and a principled decision.
Britain’s Keir Starmer acknowledged the gravity of the situation and promised to work toward a solution, but carefully avoided committing the UK to any specific action. He said that any response would require the broadest possible coalition of partner nations and that work on a viable plan was underway. Trump’s displeasure with Britain’s position was clear, but Starmer appeared determined to avoid being rushed into a commitment he could not fully control.
Italy, France, Greece, Japan, and Australia each declined participation, and the EU’s foreign ministers chose not to extend Operation Aspides’ mandate to the Hormuz area. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed the outcome of the Monday meeting, acknowledging the absence of consensus for expanding the mission. Estonia’s foreign minister made one of the most pointed observations of the day, asking what strategic end state the United States and Israel were actually working toward.
The military situation continued to deteriorate. Israel conducted fresh strikes on Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz, announcing a detailed multi-week operational plan. Iran launched retaliatory missiles at Israel that were intercepted over central areas. Drone attacks disrupted oil loading in the UAE and caused brief flight disruptions near Dubai airport. Human rights organizations reported over 1,800 deaths in Iran, the majority civilians, and the US confirmed 13 troops killed and more than 200 wounded since the conflict started in late February.