Trump says other countries 'must take care' of Hormuz

The geopolitical crisis unfolding in the Strait of Hormuz represents one of the most significant supply chain disruptions facing European investors since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. With global crude oil prices surging 40 percent following Iranian blockade operations, the passage that facilitates approximately 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments has become a flashpoint that demands immediate strategic reassessment from European stakeholders. President Trump's call for allied nations—including France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea—to establish a multinational escort corridor represents a fundamental shift in how Western powers are approaching regional security. Rather than maintaining America's traditional role as Gulf guardian, Washington is effectively outsourcing the burden of maintaining critical infrastructure to countries that benefit directly from unimpeded energy flows. For European investors, this approach introduces both structural uncertainty and potential opportunity costs. The Strait of Hormuz, at its narrowest point spanning merely 54 kilometers, has long represented a vulnerability in global energy infrastructure. However, the escalation of hostilities between Iranian forces and the US-Israeli coalition has transformed theoretical risk into immediate market volatility. The near-total halting of maritime traffic through this chokepoint signals that Iran possesses both the capability and demonstrated willingness to weaponize