NATO awaits a 'very grim' future if U.S. allies do not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for global oil exports, U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, LETA reports citing AFP.
As Trump noted, he expects that just as the U.S. helped Ukraine in its war with Russia, Europe will assist in the Strait of Hormuz.
"If there is no response or if it is negative, I think that would be very bad for the future of NATO," Trump said.
As the U.S. president acknowledged, the upcoming summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping may be postponed.
Trump urged China to assist in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz.
"We would like to know before" this summit, Trump said, noting that China, as well as many European countries, depend more on oil transported from the Persian Gulf than the U.S.
"It’s fair that the people who benefit from this strait help ensure that nothing bad happens there," Trump said.
The United States is consulting with "about seven" countries for assistance in the crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said.
In response to a question about the specific help he is counting on, Trump stated that he would like to receive minesweepers and also "people who could knock out some bad players off the [Iranian] coast."
The war between Israel and the U.S. with Iran has shaken oil markets, and over the past two weeks, crude oil prices have surged due to supply risks.
In an effort to limit rising oil prices, the U.S. has lifted some sanctions on Russian oil that were imposed due to the full-scale war waged by Russia against Ukraine.
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