European leaders have rejected demands by United States President Donald Trump to help ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as foreign ministers from the European Union gathered in Brussels to discuss skyrocketing oil prices during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday said Berlin had no intention of joining military operations during the conflict.
“We expect from the US and Israel to inform us, to include us into what they’re doing there and to tell us if these goals are achieved,” he told reporters before the meeting in Brussels.
“Once we have a clear picture of that, we believe we need to move into the next phase, namely, defining a security architecture for this entire region, together with the neighbouring states,” he said.
Wadephul added that NATO had not made any decision on assuming responsibilities in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump on Sunday called for a naval coalition to deploy warships to secure the key Gulf waterway, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments transit.
The strait has essentially been shuttered as a result of the war, which has seen the US and Israel launch deadly attacks across Iran since February 28. Iran has retaliated by firing missiles and drones across the wider Middle East, roiling global energy markets.
Trump’s call for countries to secure the waterway has been met with pushback from several European countries despite the soaring oil and gas prices.
Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said on Monday that Greece would not engage in any military operations in the Strait of Hormuz while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy was not involved in any naval missions that could be extended to the area.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, however, that Europe should keep an open mind on helping to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait even if the continent did not support the US-Israeli decision to go to war with Iran.
Aljazira.com