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The rise of a new military power? EU launches Red Sea naval mission
The European Union wants to launch within 3 weeks the mission with the aim of protecting ships from continued Houthi attacks.
European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks during a joint news conference with Lebanon's caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in Beirut, Lebanon January 6, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
The European Union is set to initiate a naval mission in the Red Sea within the next three weeks. The objective is to safeguard cargo ships from attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, which have been disrupting trade and causing price increases, according to the EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell.
7 EU countries confirmed their participation
The plan is for EU foreign ministers to approve the mission on February 19, with seven member countries ready to contribute ships or planes, including Belgium and Germany.
The Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, have been conducting drone and missile attacks on commercial ships, posing a threat to the crucial trade route between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Despite recent US and British strikes on Houthi targets, Borrell underlined that the EU mission, named Aspides, will solely focus on maritime operations and will not engage in military strikes.
“This is the objective: safeguarding ships, intercepting attacks against them, and abstaining from any involvement in actions against the Houthis. Our focus is solely on thwarting Houthi attacks,” stated Borrell to reporters before presiding over a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels.
France, Greece and Italy want to lead
During the meeting, ministers deliberated on which member country should lead the naval effort, with France, Greece, and Italy expressing interest, but no decisions were disclosed to the public.
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias mentioned that Greece’s proposal to lead the operation and offer the Larissa Headquarters as its base was well-received by counterparts. In a post on X, he stated, “I informed my counterparts that Greece is offering the Larissa Headquarters as the Headquarters for the Operation, as well as that it is ready to lead the Operation. Our offer was positively received.” Larissa currently hosts the Hellenic Air Force and NATO headquarters in Greece.
EU companies have suffered economical losses
Borrell highlighted the pressure from businesses for EU intervention, citing the trade implications of redirecting merchant ships around the Red Sea. “Many European firms asked us to do that because their business model is suffering a lot due to the high increase in cost and having to go down to South Africa,” he explained, referring to the alternative route taken by commercial ships. “It’s affecting prices, it’s affecting inflation. So, it’s a natural endeavour for us to try to avoid this risk.”
