Proposal, Kallas: EU naval mission in Hormuz - Trump's call, EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels
Twenty-seven EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss ways to secure the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump called on allies to help open the waterway or face a "very bad" future within NATO.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, said on Monday she would propose changing the mandate of the bloc's naval mission, as pressure grows on Europe to help secure access to the Strait of Hormuz.
“We will discuss with member states whether it is possible to actually change the mandate of this mission,” Kallas told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. “It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open,” she added.
Ministers are gathering in Brussels today to discuss how Europe should respond to the impact of the war with Iran, which has caused what analysts describe as the biggest disruption to global oil supplies in history and sent oil prices above $100 a barrel.
Discussions will focus in particular on the EU's Operation Aspides, which was established in February 2024 as a defensive operation following repeated attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis on international maritime transport.
Its mandate is to “protect shipping,” maintain freedom of navigation, and “monitor the maritime situation in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, including the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf,” according to the Council.
However, officials say the mandate may need to be revised to deal with a much larger crisis along the Strait of Hormuz - which transports about a fifth of the world's oil.
Kallas' remarks also came a day after US President Donald Trump increased pressure on Europe to help protect the Strait of Hormuz, warning that NATO faces a "very bad" future if its members do not come to Washington's aid.
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