FLASH NEWS
Escalation of conflict in the Middle East/ Rutte: The Strait of Hormuz must be reopened!
2026-03-18 23:32:42 / BOTA
NATO chief Mark Rutte declined to comment on President Donald Trump's latest warning that he may reconsider the US role in the Alliance, after criticizing allies who did not support his war on Iran, Politico reports.
The US president called NATO countries "very stupid" for rejecting his requests for military support in securing the vital Strait of Hormuz trade route.
As a result, he said that "rethinking the US role in the alliance it itself founded is certainly something to think about."
But when asked about this statement, Rutte evaded the answer: "Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, I have been in contact with many allies. We all agree, of course, that the strait should be reopened," he said.
"What I know is that allies are working together discussing how to do this," he told reporters during a visit to a NATO military exercise in Norway.
“What is the best way to do it? They are working collectively to find a solution.”
The Secretary-General aims to appease Trump — a long-time NATO skeptic — while avoiding full support for a war that is outside NATO’s scope and has been widely criticized by other allies.
However, the latest comments also indicate a change in Rutte's stance, as countries such as Spain earlier rejected his statement that the war enjoyed "broad support" from NATO allies.
The former Dutch prime minister this time avoided praising the war and did not mention European support for the conflict.
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