Countries hesitant to back Trump’s ‘Hormuz coalition’ bid
WASHINGTON
A South Korean protester wears a mask of U.S. President Donald Trump in front of placards (top) reading "Oppose troop deployment" during a protest against Trump's request to dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz in front of the U.S. embassy in Seoul on March 16, 2026.
Several countries appeared reluctant to heed a call from U.S. President Donald Trump on March 16, as he urged nations to deploy warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
The U.S. president had called on countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain at the weekend to send ships to escort tankers through the strait.
"It's only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there," Trump told the Financial Times on March 15.
Trump threatened to delay a planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month if Beijing does not assist with reopening the strait.
He also warned that no response or a negative reply to his request would be "very bad for the future of NATO.”
U.S. media reported that Trump is attempting to assemble a multinational coalition to ensure the waterway remains open and hopes to unveil the initiative later this week. Trump also said he is in talks with seven nations on the initiative, without naming the countries.
The Axis also reported that Trump is weighing the possibility of seizing Iran’s main oil terminal on Kharg Island if Tehran continues to block oil tankers from passing through the strait.
However, despite the push from Washington, many countries appeared reluctant to join the effort.
South Korea, which sources about 70 percent of its oil from the Gulf, said it was “closely monitoring” remarks by Trump and was “comprehensively considering and exploring various measures … to ensure the safety of energy transport routes.”
Australia announced it will not deploy naval vessels to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to a government minister said.
Germany does not believe the NATO military alliance has a role in responding to the blockade of the strait, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in Brussels on March 16.
“I don’t see that NATO has made any decision in this direction or could assume responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz. If that were the case, then the NATO bodies would address it accordingly,” Wadephul said ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
Media reports said that the U.K. is considering sending aerial minesweepers, but officials have warned that deploying warships could escalate the conflict.
EU unveils idea of Black Sea model
Meanwhile, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas on March 16 said that she had discussed with the United Nations the possibility of restoring oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz by modeling it on the wartime agreement that enabled grain exports from Ukraine.
Speaking as she arrived at a gathering of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Kallas said she had raised the proposal with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to help unblock the strait, which has been effectively closed due to the war involving Iran.
EU foreign ministers will on March 16 discuss extending the bloc's Red Sea naval mission to help reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
But it remained to be seen whether EU member states were willing to accept, Kallas added.
A "coalition of the willing" could also be considered, Kallas added, without providing further details