European Political Community summit to address Strait of Hormuz closure

LONDON, May 4. /TASS/. The situation in the Middle East and the consequences of the Strait of Hormuz’s closure will be among the topics raised during the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan on May 4, the office of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. The office said in a statement that Starmer "will discuss with counterparts how nations can best contribute to security in the Strait for the long term to stop rising bills, bring economic stability and ensure the ongoing conflict does not inflame domestic tensions." The discussion will be based on issues raised during the summit of the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative in Paris last month. Back then, the participants agreed that the United Kingdom and France will lead a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation along this crucial shipping lane, but only after the conflict is over. Starmer then described the mission as purely peaceful and defensive in nature. Other subjects to be raised at the summit will be the conflict in Ukraine, including the UK’s participation in the 90-billion-euro loan to Ukraine, and the deployment of UK and French peacekeepers to Ukraine when the conflict there is resolved. The first EPC summit was held in Prague in October 2022, bringing together 44 countries. The format was originally established by Brussels as a tool to counter Russia, with then EU High Representative Josep Borrell saying the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) should "send a signal to Russia to seek a new world order without it." As a rule, such gatherings produce no official decisions and serve as a yet another platform for dialogue between heads of states and governments.