France ready to help U.S. secure Strait of Hormuz but not in wartime
Tankers sail in the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah near the border with Oman’s Musandam administration, in the United Arab Emirates on March 11, 2026, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Stringer | Reuters
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told CNBC that France is willing to support the United States in ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz; But we will not do so while ships are still under attack on a vital sea crossing.
“We are willing to do something to free the Strait of Hormuz, provided that this is not a war situation anymore. Nobody wants to go across the Strait of Hormuz if there’s a risk of missiles or drones going on your head,” he told CNBC’s Charlotte Reed on Tuesday.
“We need a reduction in conflict and then we can dream of securing the Strait of Hormuz… We know how to do that, but you don’t do it in a war situation. You do it in a pacified situation where people need to be safe and secure,” he added.
France, Britain and Germany are among European allies criticized by President Donald Trump for not helping the United States reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime passage controlled by Iran that is critical for exporting large amounts of oil and gas from the Middle East.
European countries are reluctant to get involved in the US and Israel’s conflict with Iran; They see it as a war of choice rather than necessity, with no clear goals or endpoint.
Although European officials have expressed concern that global food, fertilizer and energy supplies are at risk as a result of effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, there is little appetite to expand maritime operations in the Middle East to assist the movement of ships through the canal.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas summed up the sentiment in the region when she told reporters on Monday: “This is not Europe’s war, but Europe’s interests are directly at stake.”
Lescure echoed that sentiment, telling CNBC: “Will the conflict affect Europe? Yes. Will the conflict affect the United States? I think yes, too. And you know, last time I checked, we didn’t start the conflict.”
French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Monday that his country will not take part in operations in the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “We are not a party to the conflict, and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context.” Translated by Reuters.
“We believe that when the situation calms down – and I deliberately use this term in a broad sense – when the situation calms down, that is, when the main bombing is over, we are ready to take responsibility for the escort system together with other countries,” Macron said. he said.
