Trump Threatens Europe: Halt Arms Aid to Ukraine If Not Participating in Joint Escort

Trump used the cutoff of weapons aid to Ukraine as leverage to pressure European allies into joining a joint operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

According to media reports on Thursday, informed sources revealed that after several European countries refused to participate in the U.S.-led Hormuz escort mission in mid-March, Trump immediately threatened to stop supplying the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Purl procurement mechanism for Ukraine and vowed to completely withdraw support for Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte immediately launched intensive mediation, calling Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio multiple times in the two days prior to the statement's release.

At Rutte's strong urging, France, Germany, and the UK issued a joint statement on March 19th, stating they were "willing to contribute to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz," with more countries joining sequentially afterward. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced this week that he would host talks for 35 signatory nations on forming an escort coalition, but emphasized that related actions would commence "after the fighting stops."

Behind the Threat: Europe Refuses, "It's Not Our War"

The Strait of Hormuz crisis stemmed from military strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iran in late February. Iran subsequently effectively blockaded the strait, cutting off transit for approximately one-fifth of the world's oil.

Last month, Trump demanded that NATO member states' navies assist in reopening this critical waterway, but was refused by several European countries. Multiple European capitals stated that participating in the escort mission during the ongoing conflict was "impossible to achieve," with some countries explicitly saying it was "not our war."

According to three officials familiar with the discussions, Trump reacted fiercely, threatening to halt supplies to the Purl mechanism. An informed official stated that Rutte explained in his calls with France, Germany, and the UK that Trump was "quite hysterical" about Europe's refusal to protect the Strait of Hormuz.

Urgent Statement: NATO Secretary General Mediates Joint Declaration

The joint statement on March 19th was hastily pieced together. An informed official said, "It was Rutte who insisted on a joint statement because Trump threatened to withdraw from Purl and completely withdraw support for Ukraine. The statement was quickly drafted, and other countries joined later because there was not enough time to invite everyone to sign at the beginning."

NATO officials stated that the alliance does not comment on the content of Rutte's calls with other leaders and directed the media to Rutte's public statement on March 19th. In his statement, Rutte said, "I believe allies will do their utmost for our common interests, as always."

White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated, "President Trump has clearly expressed his disappointment with NATO and other allies, and as the President emphasized, 'America will remember all of this.'"

For now, the arms supply to Ukraine has not been interrupted. Rubio stated last Friday that U.S. military supplies provided to Ukraine through the Purl mechanism "have not been affected by the Middle East war thus far," and "no supplies are currently being rerouted." However, Rubio did not rule out future adjustments.

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