EU Ministers Support Strengthening Red Sea Mission but No Move to Expand to Strait of Hormuz
- Mar 16
- 1 min read
BRUSSELS, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – European Union foreign ministers expressed support on Monday for strengthening the bloc’s naval mission in the Middle East but showed no appetite for expanding its mandate to the Strait of Hormuz, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
Kallas said ministers discussed reinforcing the EU’s Aspides naval mission during a meeting in Brussels.
“There was in our discussions a clear wish to strengthen this operation, but for the time being, there was no appetite in changing the mandate of the operation, Aspides,” Kallas told reporters.
The Aspides mission is currently focused on protecting shipping routes in the Red Sea.
EU officials said any change to the mandate of the operation would require further political agreement among member states.
