Germany and Allies Refuse to Send Warships to Hormuz: "This Is Not Our War"

President Donald Trump has called upon allied nations to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to protect merchant vessels and restore global oil supplies. However, his requests have so far been met with numerous refusals.

On Saturday (14 March), Trump posted on Truth Social, urging the UK, China, France, Japan, South Korea, and other nations to join in a “collective effort” to reopen the maritime passage. He reiterated his appeal in a Saturday evening post, targeting all “countries in the world that receive oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.” He asserted that the US would provide “substantial” support to nations willing to participate in the effort.

In an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday (15 March), Trump reinforced his stance, stating that failure to ensure maritime transport security would “seriously damage NATO’s future.”

The Strait of Hormuz has been closed by Tehran in retaliation for US and Israeli air strikes. The closure has dealt a severe blow to the global energy sector and trade. The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s busiest oil shipping route, with approximately 20% of global supply normally transiting through it. The closure has triggered the largest supply disruption in history and a spike in global crude oil prices.

Yet are allied nations willing to send vessels to escort merchant fleets through this vital maritime route?

The UK, Germany, Australia, Spain, and Japan are amongst nations that have firmly stated they will not send ships in a war against Iran.

At a press conference at Downing Street on Monday (16 March), UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasised that his country would not “become involved in a wider war” in Iran. He added that London is “working with allies” to formulate a viable plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that the mission is not part of NATO.

“This Is Not Our War”

In Germany, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius flatly rejected Trump’s request.

“What does Trump expect from a handful of European frigates that the mighty US Navy cannot accomplish?” he remarked.

“This is not our war. We did not start it.”

Meanwhile, the spokesman for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that war against Iran “has nothing to do with NATO” and “is not a NATO war.”

Shortly thereafter, Merz ruled out German involvement.

“We do not have a mandate from the UN, the European Union, or NATO, as required by the Constitution. For this reason, it has been clear from the outset that this war is not NATO’s concern,” he stated at a press conference in Berlin. He added that neither the United States nor Israel had consulted with Germany before launching military operations.

“For this reason, the question of how Germany could become militarily involved in this conflict was never even considered,” he concluded.

In Madrid, the Spanish government affirmed it would not participate in military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, deeming the US-Israeli war against Iran as illegal. This statement was made by Defence Minister Margarita Robles and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Monday (16 March).

Robles rejected President Trump’s request for Spain to provide military support to secure the maritime route that has been effectively closed by Tehran to oil tanker vessels. She also dismissed Trump’s threat of a “dire future” for NATO allies who refuse to participate.

“Spain will never accept a patchwork solution, because the primary objective must be to end the war, and to end it now,” Robles stated firmly.

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares added that whilst the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is a serious concern for Europe, the EU’s position must be clear: the war must be stopped, regardless of economic considerations.

“We must do nothing that increases tension or worsens escalation,” he said.

In Japan, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi informed parliament on Monday (16 March) that “given the current situation with Iran, we are not currently considering launching maritime security operations.”

In Australia, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King also confirmed in an ABC interview on Monday (16 March) that the country would not send warships to the Strait of Hormuz.

China’s embassy spokesman in Washington did not specify whether Beijing would accept Trump’s request, but emphasised that all parties have a responsibility to ensure stable and unhindered energy supplies.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s presidential office stated that the country would “maintain close communication with the United States regarding this matter and make a decision after careful deliberation.”

On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Tehran is not requesting a ceasefire or exchanging messages with Washington, and stated that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “to our enemies.” Araghchi added: “They (America) ask other countries to come and help so that the Strait of Hormuz remains open. From our perspective, the strait is open. The strait is only closed to our enemies.”