LONDON (AP) 鈥� European leaders remained on the sidelines of the on Thursday but tried to make their voices heard to help shore up a shaky ceasefire, quell fighting in Lebanon and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The war has put Europe in an uneasy position trying to maintain its support for the U.S. as a key NATO ally and also withstand occasional blowback from U.S. President Donald Trump for not joining in the fight and offering limited use of its military bases.
Some European leaders have been louder than others in distancing themselves from the war. French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that the U.S. can’t 鈥渋n an operation they chose to undertake alone鈥� without consultation.
Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire negotiated by Pakistan at the 11th hour Tuesday after he had been threatening that 鈥渁 whole civilization will die tonight.鈥� The deal was supposed to halt fighting and reopen the strait that is vital to world oil supplies.
But Iran has reclosed the shipping channel after Israel pounded Lebanon with air strikes as it targeted Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Iran said the ceasefire included Lebanon while Israel and the U.S. disputed that claim.
Iran has also drawn pointed criticism for demanding the as a precondition for reopening the Hormuz waterway.
Here’s what European leaders are saying about the most important issues:
Reaching a peaceful solution
The leaders of France, Italy, Germany, the U.K., Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the European Union said on Wednesday that they 鈥渟trongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement.鈥� Leaders from Norway, Sweden, Greece and Finland were among others who joined in.
鈥淭his will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region,鈥� they said in a joint statement, and 鈥渃an avert a severe global energy crisis.鈥�
Macron, who spoke Wednesday to both Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and Trump, called for 鈥渆ach of the belligerents鈥� to fully respect the ceasefire and open comprehensive negotiations.
Fighting in Lebanon
The European leaders jointly called for the ceasefire to include Lebanon after the deadliest day of fighting there Wednesday when more than 200 people were killed.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that 鈥渢he severity with which Israel is waging war there could cause the failure of the peace process as a whole, and that must not happen.鈥�
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was in the Middle East to build support for the ceasefire, said it was wrong of Israel to strike Lebanon regardless of the fine print of whatever agreement they had made.
鈥淭hat shouldn鈥檛 be happening,鈥� Starmer said. 鈥淭hat should stop. That鈥檚 my strong view. And therefore the question isn鈥檛 a technical one of whether it鈥檚 a breach of the agreement or not. The one is actually a matter of principles as far as I鈥檓 concerned.鈥�
Spanish Prime Minster Pedro S谩nchez, who has been Europe鈥檚 loudest critic of the U.S. and Israel鈥檚 military actions in the region, added that the European Union should suspend its association agreement with Israel.
鈥淗is contempt for life and international law is intolerable,鈥� S谩nchez wrote on X about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 鈥淭he international community must condemn this new violation of international law.鈥�
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz
French Foreign Minister Jean-No毛l Barrot said Thursday that European and other partners were finalizing plans for naval vessels to escort ships through the strait once fighting effectively ends.
Macron said about 15 nations are ready to participate in such a mission.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni warned Parliament that any Iranian extra duties in the Strait of Hormuz would have 鈥渦npredictable economic consequences.鈥�
鈥淔ull restoration of freedom of movement in the Strait of Hormuz is needed, and it must not be subject to any restrictions, as appears to have happened in recent hours,鈥� she said.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said it鈥檚 鈥渃rucial鈥� Iran is not allowed to apply tolls in the strait.
Merz said that Germany would contribute to ensure free shipping resumed but officials wouldn鈥檛 elaborate on what that might entail.
Preserving the NATO alliance
Trump has spooked NATO members by suggesting 鈥� not for the first time 鈥� that the . This time he’s upset that the world鈥檚 biggest military alliance has not come to America’s aid.
Trump dubbed allies 鈥渃owards,鈥� and said NATO was 鈥渁 paper tiger.鈥� After meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday in the White House, Trump said NATO had not been there for the U.S. and wouldn’t be there again if needed.
Merz said Thursday that the war had become a 鈥渢rans-Atlantic stress test鈥� and he didn鈥檛 want it to further burden relations between the U.S. and its European NATO partners.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want, I don鈥檛 want a split in NATO,” Merz said. 鈥淣ATO is a guarantor of our security, also and above all in Europe. We must continue to keep a cool head here.鈥�
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Giada Zampano in Rome, Jill Lawless in London, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
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