In Full: Macron and Starmer to Make Statement on Strait of Hormuz

Why It Matters

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz would ease global energy and food‑security pressures while demonstrating that coordinated diplomatic and naval action can mitigate a volatile Middle‑East flashpoint.

Key Takeaways

• EU leaders demand immediate, unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
• Reopening would restore 20% of global oil and gas flow.
• France pledges naval assets, including carrier Charles de Gaulle, for security.
• UK and Germany plan neutral escort mission to protect merchant vessels.
• Diplomatic talks aim to link Hormuz opening with broader Middle East peace.

Summary

European leaders, led by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, convened a video conference with Italy, Germany and the International Maritime Organization to press for the swift, unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting underscored the waterway’s strategic importance, noting that roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil, liquefied natural gas and key fertilizer shipments pass through the narrow channel, and that its closure has amplified global energy prices and food‑security risks.

Participants highlighted recent diplomatic breakthroughs – a cease‑fire between the United States and Iran and a tentative truce in Lebanon – as a positive backdrop for negotiations. They called for the restoration of pre‑war free‑passage conditions, rejecting any tolls or privatization schemes. France committed its naval forces, including the carrier Charles de Gaulle, while the United Kingdom and Germany prepared a neutral escort mission to safeguard commercial traffic. A planning session in London next week will flesh out operational details, with Germany signaling possible mine‑clearance and surveillance contributions pending UN Security Council authorization.

Macron emphasized “a message of hope, preparation and unity,” while Starmer echoed the need for “lasting, workable proposals” that tie Hormuz’s reopening to broader peace talks in the region. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that Iran must halt its nuclear program and cease attacks on Israel and Gulf states as preconditions for a durable solution. The joint declaration framed the initiative as a multilateral effort transcending regional rivalries, involving stakeholders from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

If successful, the coordinated diplomatic and security push could defuse a critical flashpoint, lower energy costs and stabilize supply chains for fertilizers and other commodities. It also signals a rare convergence of Western powers on a Middle‑East issue, potentially reshaping future engagement strategies in the region.

Original Description

Macron and Starmer to make a joint statement after co-chairing a video conference in Paris for countries that are willing to contribute to the defensive multilateral mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when security conditions permit.

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/17/iran-war-latest-news-trump-israel-lebanon-ceasefire/

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