London (UK): British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper is set to lead a high-stakes virtual summit on Thursday, April 2, 2026, aimed at forming a global coalition to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting, which includes approximately 35 nations such as France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates, follows a controversial address by U.S. President Donald Trump. In his Wednesday night remarks, Trump signaled a shift in American foreign policy, stating that securing the waterway—through which a fifth of the world’s oil consumption passes—is a “problem for other nations to resolve” and suggesting they “build up some delayed courage” to secure it themselves.
The United States is notably absent from the attendee list for this midday London session, reflecting a growing divide between Washington and its traditional allies over maritime security in West Asia. Since late February, Iran has effectively shuttered the Strait in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes, causing global energy prices to soar and creating what European officials describe as an unsustainable economic burden. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that the talks will focus on “all viable diplomatic and political measures” to ensure the freedom of navigation once a preliminary ceasefire is achieved between the warring factions.
According to European diplomatic sources, the coalition’s proposed roadmap consists of a two-phase technical operation. The first phase involves a massive de-mining effort to clear the waterway of explosives, followed by a second phase focused on the coordinated naval protection of commercial tankers. While European nations were initially hesitant to deploy military assets for fear of being drawn into the direct conflict, the escalating cost of energy has forced a strategic pivot toward a “united front of military strength and diplomatic activity.”
The summit marks the first formal step in a series of planned meetings involving international military planners scheduled for the coming weeks. Prime Minister Starmer warned that reopening the vital corridor would “not be easy” and would require unprecedented cooperation with the global shipping industry. As the coalition gathers, the international community is watching to see if this “middle-power” alliance can stabilize global markets in the absence of U.S. leadership in the Gulf, even as President Trump maintains that the Strait could eventually reopen “naturally.”
