Red Sea, Crosetto pressing EU countries to strengthen the Aspides mission. "Nothing concrete yet"

The EUNAVFOR ASPIDES mission is a European Union naval military operation, established in February 2024 to protect commercial maritime traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis, the Yemeni armed movement supported by Iran. The mission has acquired further strategic importance with the worsening of tensions and attempts to block or threaten the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial hub for the global transit of oil and gas.

In his most recent statements, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto expressed rather clear criticism of the lack of concrete participation of several European countries in the mission. It is not acceptable, is the message he sent to the European chancelleries, that the security of a strategic trade route for the whole of Europe essentially falls on the shoulders of Italy and Greece. Italy urged EU partners to do more.

A position that Crosetto has once again expressed in the last few hours. «On our request - he said, on the sidelines of the presentation of the Defense Calendar in Rome on Tuesday 10 November - I registered the total support of Kaja Kallas (the High Representative of the EU, ed.), who fully understood the importance of the issue, but so far I don't think I have seen concrete initiatives. I keep repeating it: one third of community military operations are supported exclusively by the Italian contribution - Crosetto reiterated -. Nations much larger than ours provide a decidedly smaller contribution. If the existence of a common defense capable of protecting Europe by investing in missions makes sense, it is incumbent on everyone to do their part. If other states were as committed as Rome, we would probably be able to have a much greater impact, not only in the Red Sea, but also in Lebanon and the Balkans, from Bosnia to Kosovo, wherever the continental presence is fundamental."

Crosetto proposed that other European countries contribute in two ways. The first option is that of a military contribution, which consists of sending additional warships and vehicles to reinforce Aspides. If you don't want to strengthen the European mission militarily, there would be a solution "B". A financial contribution: if other states do not intend to send ships, they must at least participate in the costs incurred by those who guarantee the safety of navigation. Italy had even said it was willing to send a second frigate, but Crosetto considers it unfair that Rome should have to bear the costs and risks of an operation that protects the commercial interests of the whole of Europe alone. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also supported this line: either the other countries send naval units, or they must contribute financially.

At the end of the Foreign Affairs Council which took place on 12 October, Kallas recognized that «the escort operations conducted as part of Operation Aspides are taking on ever greater importance, given the dangerous escalation by the Houthis. I welcome the additional ships recently offered by Member States - he added - but it is also clear that more are needed. Keeping the Red Sea open is in Europe's strategic interest." «As for Operation Aspides, we need at least 10 ships, and we are not at that number yet. However, today we have learned from some Member States that the discussion is still ongoing. I therefore hope that this will translate into the actual dispatch of the ships that this operation really needs, because if we want to be a credible guarantor of security in the region, we must have a credible mission, and for this we need more ships", concluded the High Representative.