The German Chancellor, Merz, clearly stated on April 9 that Berlin will not immediately join security operations in the Strait of Hormuz before the war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran is truly over, effectively postponing a response to the Trump administration's call for allies to quickly make concrete commitments. He said Germany is willing to provide assistance after a peace agreement is reached, but only if it receives international authorization—preferably from the United Nations Security Council—and approval from Germany’s Bundestag, meaning no decision from Berlin should be expected in the coming days. Merz described the current ceasefire as “a glimmer of hope,” yet warned that the past 24 hours have already shown how fragile this truce is, with the situation in the Strait of Hormuz still uncertain and significant gaps remaining among the positions of all parties, making the next round of negotiations extremely difficult. This statement reflects that while Europe broadly supports assisting in restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after a ceasefire, there remains considerable caution regarding whether to act immediately and under what legal and political framework. Merz also emphasized that he does not want this conflict to further escalate into a test of transatlantic relations, nor does he wish for NATO to suffer rifts as a result, adding that diplomatic channels will continue to be pursued to advance a ceasefire and negotiations. Reuters also noted that Italy has similarly declared it will not send ships to patrol the Strait of Hormuz without UN authorization, underscoring that major European countries remain generally cautious about military involvement.
Image source: internet
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862057211042121/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) personally.