The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, has called on the United States and Israel to end their war with Iran, stressing that the European Union is consulting with Middle Eastern governments on how to bring the conflict to a close.
“I think it would be in everyone’s interest if this war stops. The problem with wars is that it’s easier to start them than to end them, and they always spiral out of control. We have been consulting with countries in the region such as the Gulf states, Jordan, and Egypt, to see if we can present proposals to Iran, Israel, and the United States to get out of this situation,” she said.
In an interview with Reuters in Brussels, Kallas also noted that a potential European intervention to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz cannot be ruled out, though it would most likely come as part of a diplomatic solution.
Several European countries have rejected calls by Donald Trump to join a mission aimed at reopening the strait—a key transit route for oil, gas, and other goods, currently largely blocked by Iran.
European leaders have stated they are unwilling to put their forces at risk in a war they did not start, even as Trump warned that their hesitation could negatively impact the NATO alliance.
Kallas added that Europe does not fully understand some of the actions taken by the United States under Trump or its objectives in Iran, but has grown accustomed to his unpredictability.
