Despite the urgent call from US President Donald Trump to secure the Strait of Hormuz — whose blockage is severely disrupting the global energy market — the major European powers and their allies firmly reject any intervention under the NATO banner.

A categorical refusal from NATO

Washington criticized the inaction of its partners, with Donald Trump arguing that NATO countries should "jump" to help the United States. The response from London and Berlin was unequivocal:

1. United Kingdom: Prime Minister Keir Starmer is working on a collective navigation plan, but insists that it will not be a NATO mission.
2. Germany: Chancellor Friedrich Merz ruled out any involvement, stating that the conflict in the Middle East was not within the Alliance's jurisdiction and that his country would not participate in this war.

This refusal echoes the positions of Japan and Australia , which have also declined to send military resources to this strategic area.

The EU refuses to extend the "Aspids" mission

Meeting in Brussels, the foreign ministers of the European Union also closed the door to a redeployment of the Aspides mission.

1. The status quo: Currently confined to the Red Sea to counter the Houthi rebels, the mission will not see its mandate extended to the Strait of Hormuz.
2. Diplomatic caution: Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, emphasized the lack of willingness among member states to become active participants in the conflict. Spain and Germany, in particular, reiterated their desire to maintain the current strictly defensive framework.

Nuances in the East and limited logistical support

While Poland and Lithuania have shown themselves to be more open to considering an official request from NATO, Warsaw has already made it clear, through its minister Radoslaw Sikorski, that no Polish soldiers would be sent there.

Behind the scenes, the commitment remains measured:

1. London maintains a defensive posture, allowing the Americans to use its bases and deploying a destroyer in the Mediterranean, while refusing to be drawn into a "wider war".
2. NATO is monitoring the situation from afar, noting that its forces in the Mediterranean have already intercepted Iranian missiles that violated Turkish airspace.

Strategic note: The Strait of Hormuz remains the key to global oil trade. While France raised the idea of a "purely defensive" international mission on March 9th, the lack of European consensus makes its implementation uncertain.