NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that member states are consulting on the “best way” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route disrupted by ongoing tensions.
Speaking at a news conference during a NATO exercise in northern Norway, Rutte said he had been in contact with several allies, noting broad agreement on the need to restore access to the waterway.
“We all agree, of course, that the strait has to open up again,” he said. “Allies are working together, discussing how to do that and what the best approach should be.”
The remarks come amid rising global concern over energy security, as the Strait—through which a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes—remains effectively closed following escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
US President Donald Trump has called on international partners to deploy naval forces to escort oil tankers through the strategic corridor. The disruption has driven global oil prices up by more than 40 percent in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, Trump criticised NATO’s response, describing the alliance’s reluctance to intervene as a “very foolish mistake.”
“I’ve long said that I wonder whether or not NATO would ever be there for us. So this was a great test,” he told reporters.
The US president, who returned to office in January 2025, has consistently pressed NATO members to increase defence spending and shoulder more responsibility for collective security.
When asked whether he might reconsider Washington’s relationship with the alliance, Trump said it was “certainly something that we should think about,” but added that no immediate decision was under consideration.
