The EU at the Narrow Passage - The Hormuz crisis threatens to become a catastrophe for Europeans.

American Thinker ^ | 20 Mar, 2026 | Thomas Kolbe

[MtnClimber]

Under the pressure of extreme energy prices, the ideologically driven miscalculations of the EU -- and Germany in particular -- are revealing their fatal, destructive magnitude. Europeans must do everything in their power to make the Strait of Hormuz navigable again.

The Hormuz crisis threatens to become a catastrophe for Europeans. No region is as dependent on oil and gas supplies as Europe, while the United States can operate from a comparatively sovereign position of energy self-sufficiency. Precisely for this reason, Europeans should have a vital interest in securing the Strait of Hormuz militarily in order to safeguard their energy flows.

The geopolitical chessboard is shifting rapidly: U.S. President Donald Trump has raised the question of whether it is even in America’s interest to keep this lifeline open under heightened risk -- a shocking message from a European perspective, yet one that has largely passed without reaction.

From the very beginning of the crisis, the United States has made a decisive move by announcing its push into the maritime insurance business. Following a fourfold increase in premiums and the refusal of key insurers such as Lloyd’s to cover the risks of passage through Hormuz, the United States is now preparing a state-backed reinsurance mechanism to take over this geopolitically crucial sector. In doing so, it will determine who can transit -- and who cannot.

Europe thus finds itself in an increasingly precarious strategic predicament. Militarily, it is largely incapable of acting, and economically, due to its flawed energy policies, it is dependent in multiple ways on external actors -- not least on LNG supplies from the United States.

It fits the pattern that President Trump openly questioned on Wednesday whether the U.S. Navy should ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz at all. Through the leverage of insurance

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TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: energy; europe; euroweenies; hormuz; straitofhormuz

[MtnClimber]

When you blow up your nuclear power plants in a green energy fantasy, what could possibly go wrong?

[ClearCase_guy]

Fusion power is only 20 years away, so just sit tight.

[TexasFreeper2009]

I thought Europe wanted to power everything with wind and solar anyway?

Trump is simply helping them achieve their goals!

[TexasFreeper2009]

and why aren’t these countries being attacked declaring war on Iran?

[Steven Tyler]

Iran uses the strait to support their fear card
That increases the global price for oil

Iran cannot have nukes
The status quo, “fear card”, is not acceptable

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "the ideologically driven miscalculations of the EU -- and Germany in particular "

Had plenty of energy for "Wir schaffen das," and still do.

[joe fonebone]

If...
The closing of the straight is a crisis for europe..
Then why doesn’t europe pony up their navy and re-open it?

[Steven Tyler]

....Germany remains under the sway of globalist ideologues and has already paid a trillion-euro price for undermining its own economic foundations in the name of green dogma.....

Mebe illegals, born and raised in a hot climate, will reject freezing in winter and go home....

[PerConPat]

What’s the hubbub, Bub? No worries...I’m sure Putin stands ready to.give aid and comfort to the Euphoric Union in any fossil fuel supply crisis it might incur.

[PerConPat]

Ooops...forgot the /s tag...

[bray]

Thank God America is pumping oil at record levels.

[nathanbedford]

When you blow up your nuclear power plants in a green energy fantasy, what could possibly go wrong?

Well, it seems that part of Germany has got it wrong both ways. It has emasculated its energy space in pursuit of a climate change fantasy. On the other side, the AFD is advancing policies that would sacrifice the physical security of Germany in pursuit of energy that the AFD believes would revive the economy.

It is the policy of the AFD, the political party most favored by Trump and one that duplicates every Trump policy, to end the war at any cost in order, even to reward Putin's aggression, to gain access to Russian oil and minerals.

It should be the policy goal of the United States to ostracize Russia from the body of civilized nations, make Russia a pariah in the economic sense, and keep it there unless and until Putin goes.

[AZJeep]

Europe has plenty of coal.

[bert]

-—— economically, due to its flawed energy policies,——

the European economy might not be able to afford the military expense required to assure the continuing flow of existential oil

[ohioman]

Who gives a damn about Russia. The EU is an even greater enemy to the U.S.

[hopespringseternal]

Two hyper corrupt oligarchs at war with each other does not stir my blood.

And given Russia’s absolute military ineptitude the only way they are a threat to the rest of Europe can only be because Europe has chosen to dismantle their militaries to provide cradle to grave entitlements to Muslim invaders.

In that scenario I am at a loss to see Russia as much of a boogeyman however otherwise deserving Putin and his orcs are of the appellation.

Europe and Russia deserve each other.

[The Louiswu]

[Frank Drebin]

More accurate than most know. These latest actions are about more than Iran as we are beginning to see.

[Socon-Econ]

Nobody wants to admit it, but this isn’t going to work without a regime change in Iran.