European leaders meeting in Brussels charted a markedly different course. According to reporting from El País, the EU is actively seeking a diplomatic solution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes — positioning itself in contrast to what it views as Trump’s bellicose approach.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece and France had jointly championed a proposal for a moratorium on strikes against energy installations in the Gulf by all parties. Mitsotakis noted that Greek Patriot missile systems deployed to Saudi Arabia since 2021 had helped defend critical infrastructure — and that without such defenses, oil prices could have spiked even further.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) added its voice to the crisis, calling for a “safe maritime framework” in the Gulf. The UN shipping body noted that the closure of the Strait has “adversely affected merchant and commercial vessels and threatened the safety and welfare of seafarers.”