German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that European warships will not help the United States secure the passage of oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz because they are not capable of doing what the American navy is supposed to do.
Boris Pistorius' statement is reported by tagesschau.
Pistorius said that the Israeli and US military operation against Iran is “not a war” for Germany and Europe.
“What does the world expect, what does Donald Trump expect from a handful or two handfuls of European frigates, what will they achieve there, in the Strait of Hormuz, if the powerful American fleet cannot cope alone? This is not our war; we did not start it,” said the German Defense Minister.
He said Germany seeks “diplomatic solutions and a quick end” to the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Pistorius emphasized the special responsibility of NATO partners for the defense of their own Alliance territory.
“We are responsible for the eastern flank and for the Atlantic, especially as Germany in our geopolitical position. This is our main responsibility. Everything else may matter in individual cases, or it may not matter,” Boris Pistorius explained.
Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that the country is considering what measures can be taken within existing legal restrictions to guarantee the safety of Japan-related vessels and their crews in the Middle East amid the US-Israeli war with Iran.
On March 13, Trump called on a number of European and Asian countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz for joint patrols.