NATO Nuclear Giants Convene 40 Countries to Discuss Hormuz, Excluding the US
France and the UK are scheduled to lead a major meeting involving around 40 countries on Friday (17 April 2026). The meeting aims to send a strong signal to the United States (US) that its closest allies are prepared to take on a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as conditions allow.
This step comes after Iran closed most of the strait’s routes to vessels other than its own following the start of US-Israel airstrikes on 28 February. The situation has intensified further after Washington imposed a blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports on Monday.
US President Donald Trump has called on other countries to help enforce the blockade and launched scathing criticism at NATO allies for allegedly not participating. However, the UK, France, and other nations argue that joining the blockade would amount to participating in the war.
These allies have expressed willingness to help keep the strait open only if a permanent ceasefire has been achieved or the conflict ends. The current initiative under discussion deliberately excludes the United States and Iran for the time being.
Nevertheless, European diplomats emphasise that any realistic mission will ultimately need to be coordinated with both conflicting parties. Washington will later receive a full report on the meeting’s outcomes.
According to notes sent to the invited countries, the meeting’s primary goal is to reaffirm full diplomatic support for unimpeded freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, the meeting underscores the need to respect international law.
The meeting will also address the economic challenges facing the shipping industry and the safety of over 20,000 stranded seafarers and trapped commercial vessels. Another key agenda item is outlining preparations for deploying a defensive multinational military mission to ensure freedom of navigation if conditions are met.
A joint statement from the meeting leaders is expected at the end to provide a clearer picture of what the mission will entail. However, this announcement is not anticipated to detail specific contributions from each country.
Several world leaders are confirmed to attend the meeting in Paris, including French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Meanwhile, officials from various parts of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East will join via video conference.
The Chinese government has also been invited to this important meeting, though it is unclear whether they will participate. Some diplomats note that the mission may never materialise if the situation in the Strait of Hormuz normalises on its own.
On the other hand, some parties argue that shipping companies and insurers may still demand the military deployment during the transition phase for added security. A senior French official provided journalists with details on the technical scope of the mission being planned.
“This could involve intelligence sharing, mine clearance capabilities, military escorts, information procedures with neighbouring countries, and much more,” the senior French official said during a briefing.
Furthermore, he stressed that the coalition’s main focus is to create stability in this vital global energy trade route. He stated that any resources deployed would heavily depend on the dynamics on the ground.
“The goal is clear, and the resources deployed will of course depend on the prevailing situation,” the official added.
The UK government stated that the discussions taking place on Friday will provide direct input for the multinational military planning meeting scheduled for next week.