France has excluded NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen from the upcoming summit regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing the Financial Times and three independent sources, that Paris has restricted the event's participation format.
According to reports, Paris twice requested the removal of these names from the "invitee list" proposed by London, asserting that the format is strictly limited to heads of state and government. The British government stated that approximately 40 countries are expected to participate in the summit. French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are set to attend in person, while other leaders will join via video conference.
The report further notes that representatives of the current U.S. administration were not included in the initial list. However, European leaders may brief US President Donald Trump on the outcomes of the summit following the conclusion of the meetings. The exclusion of the EU and NATO leadership highlights ongoing strategic tensions regarding European autonomy and the specific diplomatic architecture of maritime security initiatives.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically important chokepoints, through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil consumption passes. Ensuring its security and freedom of navigation is a critical priority for global energy markets and international trade. This summit comes amid heightened regional tensions and aims to establish a coordinated international response to maritime challenges in the Middle East.
