European nations have issued a clear warning to Donald Trump that the Strait of Hormuz crisis requires negotiation, not additional military hardware, firmly declining to send warships despite the US president’s threats about NATO’s future. The strait’s effective closure by Iran has sent energy prices higher and prompted Trump to call on allies to help reopen it by deploying naval forces. European governments countered with a consistent message: the conflict had been launched without their input and could not be resolved by a handful of European frigates added to an already substantial American naval presence.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz made the case most directly, ruling out any military contribution and arguing that historical experience counseled strongly against relying on bombing as an instrument of political change. His defense minister asked a pointed question about the logic of Trump’s request, noting that the US Navy was already the most powerful in the world and questioning what European ships could add. Together, their statements presented a Germany that was both unwilling and philosophically opposed to the military approach being taken.
Britain’s Keir Starmer declined to commit to any specific action while acknowledging that the strait needed to be reopened. He promised to develop a viable plan with broad international support and made clear the UK would not be drawn into the wider war. Trump expressed frustration with London’s position but continued to suggest that Britain would ultimately contribute, reflecting the ongoing complexity of the bilateral relationship.
Italy, France, Greece, Japan, and Australia each declined to participate, and the EU decided not to expand Operation Aspides to cover the Hormuz zone. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed the absence of consensus for changing the mission’s mandate. Estonia’s representative gave voice to broader European concerns by publicly asking what the US and Israel were actually trying to achieve.
Israeli strikes on Iranian cities continued with reports of fresh attacks on Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz. Iran rejected ceasefire talks and launched missiles toward Israel that were intercepted. Drone attacks disrupted oil operations at UAE’s Fujairah port and caused fires near Dubai. US military casualties reached 13 dead and more than 200 wounded, and human rights groups documented over 1,800 deaths in Iran, the majority of whom were civilians.