The United Kingdom will host a virtual summit this week aimed at addressing the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, as global concern grows over disruptions to shipping and energy supplies.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to convene a meeting of 35 nations on Thursday to discuss efforts to reopen the crucial waterway and restore safe passage for international shipping.
Speaking at Downing Street, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the meeting would bring together countries that supported last month’s joint statement calling for freedom of navigation through the Strait after Iranian forces effectively shut the key shipping route.
Starmer said the talks would focus on diplomatic and political options to resolve the crisis and ensure maritime safety.
The meeting “will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers, and resume the movement of vital commodities,” he said.
A UK official confirmed the summit will be held virtually rather than in person. In addition to the diplomatic meeting, Britain will also gather military planners to explore how countries can coordinate capabilities to make the Strait safe and accessible once fighting in the region subsides.
Countries involved in the joint statement include the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, among others, all of which have pledged to support efforts to safeguard the major global trade route.
