Europe Considers Multinational Plan to Resume Passage Through Strait of Hormuz Without U.S.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold an international video conference on April 17 (local time) to discuss the resumption of free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Major European countries are reportedly reviewing a multinational cooperation initiative to restart maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz, excluding the United States.

On April 14, the French presidential office, the ?lys?e Palace, announced, "We will discuss plans to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when the security situation permits." A spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister’s Office also explained, "This meeting will advance efforts for a coordinated and independent multinational plan to protect international shipping after the conflict ends."

Ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

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According to French and British officials, the United States is not expected to attend this meeting. China and India have also been invited, but their participation remains uncertain.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the same day that major European countries are considering plans for multinational cooperation before and after the resumption of maritime transport in the Strait of Hormuz, excluding the United States.

According to European diplomats, the goal of this plan is to restore confidence in the stability of the Strait of Hormuz so that shipping companies can resume passage, and European warships will not be under U.S. command. However, officials believe it may take some time until the war with Iran comes to an end.

According to a senior German official, Germany is also highly likely to participate in this plan. Until now, Germany had maintained a cautious stance regarding military intervention in the Strait of Hormuz. Germany is expected to announce its intention to participate as early as April 16. The WSJ explained that this could mean the scale of the multinational cooperation plan may become larger than initially expected.

According to the WSJ, this initiative has three main objectives: to assist the movement of hundreds of ships stranded in the strait, to remove large numbers of naval mines, and to establish a regular military escort and surveillance system to ensure safe navigation. In particular, mine removal is an area where Europe has an advantage over the United States, with more than 150 related vessels in operation.

Experts believe that even after the war with Iran ends, some level of Western military presence will be necessary for the normalization of passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Mujtaba Rahman, Head of Europe at Eurasia Group, said that insurance companies and shipping firms are likely to demand an escort system for the protection of vessels.

However, there are also some differences of opinion within Europe. France believes that Iranian backlash could occur if the United States intervenes. In contrast, the UK is concerned that excluding the United States may provoke a backlash from U.S. President Donald Trump and limit the scope of operations.

Since the beginning of the war with Iran, President Trump has pressured European allies to dispatch warships to forcibly reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but major European countries have rejected this request. Thereafter, President Trump demanded their participation in the blockade of Iranian ports, but Prime Minister Starmer and other European leaders also refused, stating that they would focus on normalizing maritime navigation. In response, President Trump has even raised the possibility of withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), issuing strong criticism and causing fractures within the Atlantic alliance.

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