UK to Host Virtual Summit of 35 Nations Today on Reopening Strait of Hormuz
The summit comes days after President Donald Trump publicly told allies they must secure the strait themselves.
Tommy Flynn
WASHINGTON – The United Kingdom will host a virtual summit today, April 2, 2026, bringing together representatives from nearly three dozen countries to discuss diplomatic and political steps toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted by Iranian attacks during the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is chairing the meeting, which includes France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and other signatories of a mid-March joint statement urging Iran to cease attacks on commercial shipping. The United States is not participating.
The summit comes days after President Donald Trump publicly told allies they must secure the strait themselves. In a pointed speech Monday night, Trump declared the U.S. would no longer shoulder the burden alone, stating, “The U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.” He offered to sell American oil to affected nations while urging them to “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”
The strait, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments pass, has seen sharply reduced traffic since Iranian mines, drones, and missiles began targeting vessels in late February. European leaders have so far resisted direct military involvement, with several stating the conflict was not Europe’s fight.
The virtual meeting aims to coordinate diplomatic pressure on Iran and explore non-military measures to restore freedom of navigation. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the talks as an effort to “assess all viable diplomatic and political measures” to resume safe movement of vital commodities.
The session represents Europe’s latest attempt to address the economic fallout of the Iran conflict without direct combat involvement, even as Trump has made clear the United States will no longer act as the default guarantor of global shipping lanes. No immediate outcomes are expected until after the closed-door discussions conclude later today.