Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to present a concrete offer for a German contribution in Paris on Friday, April 17th.
Details of the German proposal
According to a proposal seen by the German news agency (dpa), the German military, the Bundeswehr, would provide minesweepers, an escort ship and reconnaissance aircraft. The mission would focus on mine clearance, maritime reconnaissance and surveillance of the wider sea area, and would begin after the cessation of hostilities and under certain conditions.
The Bundeswehr has eight minesweepers and two diving boats for mine countermeasures, but it is not yet known how many of them could be sent on the mission. The minesweepers, over 50 meters long, usually have a crew of 42 soldiers, who can be reinforced with mine-specialist divers if necessary.
Meeting in Paris
Chancellor Merz travels to Paris on Friday for an international meeting hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni is also expected to attend, while other potential partners in the mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz will join via video link.
Strict conditions for participation
After meeting with Irish Prime Minister Michał Martin in Berlin, Merz stressed that a possible mission would depend on strict conditions.
He explained that German participation could only follow "at least a temporary ceasefire" and with the approval of the government in Berlin and parliament.
"We're still a long way from that," said Merc.
According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, the German Navy could also use its logistics base in Djibouti, which is considered a strategically important location for operations in the region, for maritime reconnaissance missions.
Global consequences of the blockade
In addition to direct participation, the possibility of Germany taking over part of the obligations of NATO partners in the North Atlantic in order to free up their forces for the mission in the Strait of Hormuz is also being considered.
Traffic on the waterway, which carried a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, has been almost completely halted since the start of the Iran war, which was triggered by US-Israeli air strikes on February 28.
That has caused a sharp rise in energy prices around the world, and an International Energy Agency official warned on Thursday that Europe has "perhaps another six weeks' worth of kerosene left" if the blockade continues..
