France and Britain to convene talks on ‘defensive’ mission in the Strait of Hormuz
France and the United Kingdom will jointly host a video conference on Friday with countries willing to support a “purely defensive” initiative aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz, the French president’s office said, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are set to co-chair the meeting, which will focus on plans to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once security conditions permit, the statement said on Tuesday.
Earlier, in March, French President Emmanuel Macron said France wanted to launch a military escort operation for commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as conditions allowed, describing the proposed effort as strictly defensive.
Speaking at a military base in Cyprus, Macron said the plan could involve both European and non-European countries, but noted that such a mission could not begin while active fighting continued in the region.
The remarks came as tensions in the Middle East continued to disrupt maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which around 20% of the world’s crude oil passed each day. The situation contributed to a surge in oil prices.
Macron said he had discussed the idea with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. He also said France had taken steps to support Cyprus, including sending air defense systems and deploying its aircraft carrier to the broader region. Macron said Paris aimed to maintain a defensive posture alongside countries facing attacks from Iran while also supporting efforts to reduce tensions.
Christodoulides said Cyprus would not take part in military operations and would instead focus on humanitarian efforts. Mitsotakis, for his part, said freedom of navigation was under pressure and warned that Europe should also be prepared for other asymmetric threats, including large migration flows.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that US President Donald Trump warned that NATO could face “very serious examination,” expressing disappointment with the alliance over what he described as insufficient support for the United States during its war against Iran.
