Brussels, March 9 (SANA) – The European Union on Monday signaled its readiness to expand maritime operations in the Middle East to help safeguard international shipping routes amid rising regional tensions.
According to AFP, European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the situation in virtual talks with several regional leaders, expressing openness to widening EU naval deployments to better respond to current developments.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also called on EU leaders to reinforce the bloc’s Aspides naval mission with additional vessels, describing the move as a demonstration of European solidarity.
The Aspides operation, launched by the EU in February 2024 and led by Italy, aims to protect commercial shipping from attacks by the Houthis in Yemen.
French President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to Cyprus that France would support the mission over the long term by deploying two additional frigates.
The EU currently operates two maritime missions in the region, Aspides and Atalanta, as global concerns grow over the security of strategic shipping lanes. Nearly 20 percent of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Regional tensions have escalated since late February following ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting several countries in the region, raising fears about the safety of maritime routes and global energy supplies.
