EU Refuses US Call for Military Deployment in Strait of Hormuz
Following a Brussels meeting of EU foreign ministers, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday that member states "have no desire to actively engage in military actions against Iran" and stressed that Europe "has no interest in an open-ended war." She noted that while the EU is committed to strengthening maritime security, there is little appetite to expand current operations, such as Operation Aspides in the Red Sea, or extend them to the Strait of Hormuz.
"Nobody wants to go actively in this war," Kallas said, emphasizing that the bloc’s priorities remain safeguarding freedom of navigation and advancing diplomatic efforts.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed the stance, noting that EU naval missions, which focus on escorting merchant vessels and anti-piracy operations, are not intended for the Strait of Hormuz. "We are willing to strengthen these missions," he said, "but I don’t think they can be expanded to include the Strait of Hormuz."
Germany also ruled out sending forces to the Gulf. Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Berlin "will not do so" and called for a rapid political resolution to the conflict. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius added that deploying forces outside NATO’s area would require legal approval and parliamentary consent, emphasizing: "It is not our war; we did not start it. We want a diplomatic solution and a swift end to the conflict."
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