France and UK lead talks on European mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are leading an international summit in Paris to discuss a European-led mission to secure and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting, which also includes Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, aims to create a multinational operation to protect shipping in the key waterway.

Starmer stated that France and the UK would lead the mission 'as soon as conditions allow.' The summit follows reports that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were not invited to the talks.