NATO allies refused on Monday to join the United States’ naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, proposing instead to intervene only once fighting ends — a stance likely to deepen transatlantic strains in the alliance.
UK and France draw clear line
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would not support the blockade. “My decision has been very clearly that whatever the pressure, and there’s been some considerable pressure, we’re not getting dragged into the war,” Starmer said.
France also declined to participate. Both countries said they were working on separate initiatives to reopen the waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil normally passes.
NATO considering post-conflict role
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told European governments that President Trump wants concrete commitments in the near future to help secure the strait. NATO could potentially form a mission in Hormuz if all 32 member states agree — but only after hostilities end, not during active enforcement.
The refusal comes as Trump has threatened to withdraw from NATO and is reportedly weighing pulling US troops from Europe, after several allied nations denied American military aircraft use of their airspace for strikes on Iran.
Sri Lanka implications
The alliance fracture means the US blockade remains a largely unilateral operation, raising questions about its long-term sustainability. For Sri Lanka, which depends heavily on oil transiting the Gulf, the outcome of the blockade directly affects fuel import costs and crude prices already above $100.
