Trump signals coalition to protect oil tankers not ready yet
President Donald Trump on Monday expressed disappointment that some countries have not joined a coalition to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Some are very enthusiastic, some are not so enthusiastic,” Trump told reporters at the press conference. he said. “And I assume some of them won’t do that. I think there are one or two that won’t do that that we’ve protected with tens of billions of dollars for nearly 40 years.”
Trump is pressuring US allies to send military forces to ensure oil exports pass through the Bosphorus. Tanker traffic on the narrow sea route has decreased due to Iran’s attacks. This triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history, with crude oil prices rising nearly 40% since the US and Israel attacked Iran two weeks ago.
Trump declined to specify which countries have agreed to join the coalition. The President said the White House will soon announce the list of countries that have agreed to do so.
“Numerous countries have told me they are on the way,” Trump said.
England, France and Germany
The President said Britain was reluctant to join the coalition. Trump said that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was hesitant about sending two aircraft carriers to the region at the request of the United States.
“He really didn’t want to do it,” Trump said. “I was not happy with the UK, I think they will be involved too, but they need to be involved with enthusiasm. We have been protecting these countries with NATO for years.”
Starmer said on Monday that Britain was working with all its allies on a plan to restore freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf as quickly as possible.
“Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to restore market stability; this is no simple task,” Starmer said. he said. press conference.
Trump said he met with French President Emmanuel Macron about escorting tankers.
“I think he’s going to help,” Trump said. “I’ll let you know. I talked to him yesterday. I don’t sell too much to them because my approach is, we don’t need anybody. We’re the most powerful nation on Earth.”
In his social media post on Sunday, Macron said that freedom of navigation in the Bosphorus “must be restored as soon as possible.” France deployed an aircraft carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to a social media post from France on Saturday, the aircraft carrier was deployed in a defensive position and there was no change in its status. Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Berlin will not participate in a naval mission in the Persian Gulf, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday. Merz said that the United States and Israel did not consult Germany before the war. Berlin said it wanted Iran’s nuclear and missile programs to end, but that Iran would not participate in the conflict.
“This means that as long as the war continues, we will not participate in the Strait of Hormuz with military assets that would guarantee freedom of navigation,” the Chancellor said. he said. press conference. “We are not aware of any ideas as to how such an operation could be successful.”
Japan
Britain, France and Germany are traditionally the United States’ closest allies in Europe. Tokyo has no current plans to send forces to escort tankers through the Strait, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday.
“No decision has been made regarding sending escort ships,” Takaichi told parliament on Monday. he said. Japan Times. “We are currently examining what Japan can do independently and what is possible within the legal framework.”
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC on Thursday that the U.S. Navy is not ready to escort tankers across the Bosphorus.
“It’s going to happen relatively soon, but it can’t happen right now,” Wright said. “We are simply not ready. Right now, all of our military assets are focused on destroying Iran’s offensive capabilities and the manufacturing industry that provides its offensive capabilities.”
