Zelenskyy positions Ukraine as maritime security partner for Hormuz

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly offered his country’s hard-won maritime expertise to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical chokepoint for one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies, which Iran has effectively closed amid its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.

In his nightly video address on Thursday, Zelenskyy said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had participated in a virtual meeting involving about 40 countries focused on restoring freedom of navigation through the strait. “Ukraine has relevant expertise concerning sea waterways, concerning the defence and reopening of maritime traffic,” he stated. “If our partners are ready to act we will consider how we can strengthen them, how we can apply our expertise, knowledge and technological potential.”

The offer comes directly against the backdrop of President Donald Trump repeatedly telling U.S. allies – particularly European nations – that they must “go get your own oil” and secure the strait themselves. In late March and early April statements, including on Truth Social and in interviews, Trump declared that Washington had done the “hard part” by striking Iran and would no longer bear responsibility for keeping the waterway open once U.S. operations wind down in the coming weeks.

“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore,” he said, urging countries dependent on Gulf energy to step up or buy American fuel.

Ukraine’s Black Sea model

Kyiv’s proposal is grounded in its four-year success against Russia in the Black Sea. Ukrainian sea drones and asymmetric tactics have repeatedly disrupted Russian naval operations, reopened key export corridors, and prevented Moscow from dominating the waterway. Zelenskyy has been actively promoting this know-how during a recent tour of Middle Eastern capitals, signing defence-technology agreements with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, and others. He has also engaged Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Turkey.

Ukrainian officials see Hormuz as a natural extension of this expertise. As one senior Ukrainian source noted in recent briefings, the same sea-drone and anti-ship technologies developed to break Russia’s blockade could be adapted to help Gulf partners restore safe passage.

European caution prevails: “This is not our war”

European leaders have responded to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz with a flurry of high-level diplomatic consultations, joint statements, and limited naval adjustments – but they have consistently drawn a firm line against direct military entanglement in a conflict they view as primarily between the United States, Israel, and Iran.

In mid-to-late March 2026, the European Council, along with foreign ministers from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and other EU and allied nations, issued coordinated calls for the immediate reopening of the strait and respect for freedom of navigation. They explicitly condemned Iranian actions such as mining, drone and missile attacks on commercial vessels, and attacks on energy infrastructure. At the same time, they highlighted the role of existing EU maritime operations – EUNAVFOR Aspides (in the Red Sea) and EUNAVFOR Atalanta (in the western Indian Ocean) – and called for reinforcing them with additional assets within their current defensive mandates.

Over 20 nations, including several European powers, have signalled a general willingness to contribute to stabilization efforts once active hostilities subside. However, senior officials have repeatedly stressed reluctance to escalate into direct confrontation with Iran while the fighting continues.

The core sentiment across European capitals is clear: “This is not our war.” Leaders fear being dragged into an open-ended Middle East conflict that could escalate unpredictably, drain resources, and alienate domestic publics already weary of foreign military engagements. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius captured the mood when he stated that while Germany supports diplomatic efforts for safe passage, it would offer “no military participation.” Other officials echoed this, questioning what limited European naval forces could realistically achieve in the narrow, highly contested waters of the Strait of Hormuz against Iranian capabilities. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas bluntly noted after ministerial meetings that there was “no appetite” to expand operations like Aspides into the Persian Gulf or to join active combat roles.

Instead, Europe has prioritised:

Diplomatic pressure on Iran to reopen the strait and cease attacks.
Energy contingency planning, including drawing on strategic reserves, coordinating demand reduction, and exploring alternative suppliers.
Limited defensive enhancements to existing missions focused on protecting commercial shipping in adjacent areas, not offensive operations.
Calls for a ceasefire or moratorium on strikes against civilian and energy infrastructure.

This cautious approach reflects deeper strategic realities: Europe depends heavily on Gulf energy imports but lacks both the military projection power and the political consensus to act as a primary enforcer in the region. Many leaders also resent being asked to clean up what they see as the consequences of a U.S.-led escalation in which they had little say.

Geopolitical ripple effects

The timing is significant. Trump’s “America First” posture has left a security vacuum that Europe and middle powers are scrambling to fill. For Kyiv, the Hormuz outreach serves dual purposes: it burnishes Ukraine’s credentials as a global security provider (potentially unlocking new arms and reconstruction deals) and keeps it relevant in Washington’s orbit even as U.S. attention shifts.

Analysts warn that prolonged closure of the strait risks cascading effects – higher energy prices across Europe, supply-chain disruptions, and potential migration pressures – precisely the issues European leaders are now discussing in emergency formats.

Zelenskyy is expected to receive an update Friday from Rustem Umerov, his chief negotiator, on broader war-settlement talks. Whether Ukraine’s maritime offer translates into concrete deployments or technology transfers remains to be seen, but it underscores a striking new reality: a nation still fighting for its own survival is volunteering to help stabilize one of the world’s most volatile maritime flashpoints – precisely where Washington is stepping back.

Caption: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv, Ukraine, 31 March 2026. EPA/ALESSANDRO DI MEO