High official NATO called on key members of the Alliance to help the United States reopen the strait, writes “FT”.
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Donald Trump threatened to suspend arms supplies to Ukraine in order to put pressure on European allies to join the “coalition of the willing” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the British newspaper found.
Donald Trump is pressing NATO on Hormuz
The US president last month demanded that NATO navies help him reopen the narrow waterway, but was met with refusal from European capitals, which said it would be impossible while the conflict continued. Several countries have made it clear: “this is not our war.”
Three officials familiar with the discussions told the FT that Trump responded by threatening to halt deliveries to Purl, a NATO initiative to supply Ukraine with weapons financed by European countries.
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NATO under pressure. “Trump threatened regarding Ukraine”
As a result, at the request of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, a group of countries, including key members of the alliance: France, Germany and Great Britain, issued a hastily agreed statement on March 19which stated: “We express our readiness to take appropriate actions to ensure safe passage through the strait [Ormuz]”.
One official briefed on the discussions said: “It was Rutte who insisted on a joint statement because Trump was threatening to withdraw from Purl and Ukraine in general.”.
“The declaration was quickly drafted and later joined by other countries because there was not enough time to invite everyone to sign immediately,” he added.
US president disappointed with NATO
Trump has repeatedly expressed his disappointment with European allieswho do nothing to support the US war with Iran, while presenting the conflict in Ukraine as a problem for Europe.
Since the joint statement was published on March 19, additional countries have signed it. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday that this week There will be a meeting of 35 countriessignatories of the agreement, to create a coalition whose goal will be to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “after the end of the fighting.”
US-Israeli operations against Iran have intensified global competition for Pac-3 interceptor missiles used in Patriot air defense systems and used by the Persian Gulf countries to defend against Iranian attacks. These missiles are also a key element of Ukraine's ability to defend against Russian missiles.
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War in the Middle East and weapons for Ukraine
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that US arms supplies to Ukraine through the Purl mechanism have not been affected by the war in the Middle East. “Nothing has been diverted yet,” he added.
However, Rubio did not rule out that the United States may in the future try to divert weapons intended for Ukraine to replenish American supplies used in the war with Iran.
Source: Financial Times
