Should Europe Escort Ships through the Strait of Hormuz Without the U.S., But Involve China and India Instead?
Europe today exemplifies the typical case of lacking the ability to solve problems, yet desperately trying to hitch onto every trend and show off its presence.
On the 14th, The Wall Street Journal reported that Europe is drafting a multinational alliance escort plan excluding the United States. The plan has three objectives: conducting mine-clearing operations, assisting ships stranded in the Persian Gulf to evacuate, and establishing a regular military escort and monitoring mechanism in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to U.S. media, Macron and Starmer are preparing to hold an online meeting on the 17th attended by dozens of countries, focusing on how to "better safeguard security in the Strait of Hormuz." Notably, according to officials from both Britain and France, invitations have been extended to China and India, though it remains unclear whether Beijing and New Delhi will attend this meeting.
To be fair, Europe’s plan is not promising. From the outset, it faces two practical obstacles:
First, mine-clearing and escort operations can only truly begin after the war ends. However, given Trump’s unpredictable behavior and the deep-seated differences between the U.S. and Iran, the end of the war remains uncertain;
Second, if Europe wants to deploy a group of nations for routine escorts in the Strait of Hormuz, it runs into the same problem as when sending multinational forces to garrison Ukraine—namely, consent from the host country is required. Simply having Kyiv's approval isn't enough; Russia’s opinion must also be sought.
Similarly, if Iran refuses to agree, Europe won’t even be allowed to enter the Strait of Hormuz, let alone talk about escort missions.
On the 14th, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also admitted that the so-called “multinational coalition” must coordinate with Iran and Oman. Without Iran’s approval, any mission would be nothing but an empty dream.
In short, Europe now wants to meddle in everything, drafts plans at lightning speed, and holds frequent meetings—but its actual execution capability is severely lacking. To take just one example, the idea of sending troops to Ukraine was first mentioned back in 2025, yet still no concrete action has followed.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862533470954568/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.