Governments around the world are responding cautiously to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for countries to send naval ships to the Strait of Hormuz to protect commercial shipping and help restore the flow of global oil supplies.
The strait - a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman - is one of the most critical energy routes in the world. Roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through it. But the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has largely shut the route to tanker traffic, pushing up oil prices and raising fears of wider economic disruption.
Over the weekend, Trump urged several nations, including the United Kingdom, China, France, Japan and South Korea, to deploy ships to the area. Writing on his Truth Social platform, he argued that protecting the shipping lane should be a shared international responsibility.
In an interview with the Financial Times later on Sunday, Trump sharpened his message, warning that failing to safeguard the waterway could have consequences for the future of NATO.
So far, however, the response from many governments has been measured - and in some cases reluctant.
In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK was working with allies to find a practical way to help reopen the strait, but he made clear that any action would not be carried out under a NATO mission.
Officials say discussions are continuing behind the scenes, reflecting the delicate balance many governments are trying to strike between protecting trade routes and avoiding deeper military involvement in the conflict.
Germany has taken a firmer stance. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin would not take part in a mission to secure the strait.
“This is not our war. We did not start it,” he said, signalling that Germany does not see a military role for itself in the crisis.
In Asia, both South Korea and Japan have responded cautiously.
South Korea’s presidential office said Seoul would remain in close contact with Washington and would review the situation carefully before making any decision.
Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi went further, telling parliament that Tokyo is not currently considering launching a maritime security operation linked to the conflict.
Australia has also indicated it will stay out of the mission. Cabinet minister Catherine King told national broadcaster ABC that Canberra does not plan to deploy naval vessels to the strait.
China, one of the world’s largest energy importers and heavily reliant on Gulf oil, has not directly answered whether it would participate in a naval effort.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington instead stressed that all parties share responsibility for ensuring energy supplies remain stable and that shipping routes remain open.
Kazakhstan has ratified a regional green energy agreement with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, signalling Central Asia’s ambition to become a key ...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stori...
The United States and Iran clashed at the United Nations on Monday over Tehran's nuclear programme and its ...
It's doubtful that Iran's proposal on resolving the two-month war will be accepted by President Donald Trump, an official source said,...
The death toll from a train collision near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta rose to 14 women on Tuesday (28 Ap...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 28th of April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States and Iran clashed at the United Nations on Monday over Tehran's nuclear programme and its selection to be one of dozens of vice presidents at a month-long conference to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
It's doubtful that Iran's proposal on resolving the two-month war will be accepted by President Donald Trump, an official source said, dampening hopes for a resolution to the conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, fuelled inflation, and killed thousands.
The death toll from a train collision near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta rose to 14 women on Tuesday (28 April), with 84 people injured, after rescuers completed efforts to free passengers trapped in the wreckage, the state rail operator said.
Disney+ has debuted Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language, a new collection of animated musical sequences reimagined in American Sign Language (ASL), released on 27 April to mark National Deaf History Month.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
Market reaction to DeepSeek’s preview of its next-generation artificial intelligence model has been relatively subdued, in sharp contrast to the global shock triggered by its breakthrough releases last year.
Adidas shares rose after Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe delivered a historic performance at the London Marathon on Sunday (26 April), becoming the first athlete to run an official marathon in under two hours.
China’s reaction to the latest tensions around Iran has been firm in tone but restrained in action. It has condemned strikes, called for dialogue and stepped up diplomacy but shown no sign of military involvement or appetite for escalation.
The months-long disarmament process involving the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has made little tangible progress, Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın has said.
Azerbaijan is expanding its diplomatic and economic footprint amid European energy insecurity and global geopolitical tensions. The Czech Prime Minister’s 27 April visit to Gabala highlighted growing Azerbaijan–Central Europe cooperation, particularly in energy, industry and defence.
Afghanistan’s disaster authority says it is working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to boost emergency response, shelter support and volunteer networks following talks in Kabul on Sunday.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are advancing one of Central Asia’s largest joint energy projects: the construction of the Kambarata HPP-1 hydropower plant on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, with a planned capacity of nearly 2,000 megawatts.
150 senior leaders from the oil and trade industry met in Baku last week for the second annual Caspian and Central Asia Oil Trading and Logistics Forum, as the world grapples with oil and energy shortages linked to the Middle East conflict.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment