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The European Union is considering naval options to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz as tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt maritime traffic and energy markets.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc’s foreign ministers will discuss possible measures during a Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
“It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and that’s why we are also discussing what we can do in this regard from the European side,” Kallas told reporters ahead of the meeting.
Kallas said the EU could expand its Aspides naval mission, currently operating to protect shipping in the Red Sea, to include the Persian Gulf.
Another option being considered is forming a “coalition of the willing,” in which member states would contribute military capabilities on an ad hoc basis.
The discussions come as the war involving Iran has pushed the issue to the top of the EU’s agenda, with rising prices for energy and fertilizers affecting European markets.
Kallas said EU officials have been in contact with U.S. counterparts at different levels as they assess possible responses.
“From the European side, we have been in touch with the U.S. colleagues on different levels on this but of course, the situation is very volatile,” she said.
The debate in Brussels also follows calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for allied countries to send ships to help secure the waterway.
Trump has urged several countries to step up efforts to reopen the strategic shipping route and warned that NATO could face a “very bad” future if allies fail to assist.
Kallas noted that the issue does not fall directly under NATO’s mandate.
“It is out of NATO’s area of action,” she said, adding that “there are no NATO countries in the Strait of Hormuz.”
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