NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has raised the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the state of the alliance’s defence industrial base at a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, describing freedom of navigation as being trampled upon and calling for collective action.
Speaking alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Rutte said the Hormuz question was one of the major issues on the agenda. “I hear from many of my colleagues here that it is not acceptable that the freedom of navigation is basically trampled upon as it is at the moment, and we have to think how we collectively can deal with this.” He also praised the US military action against Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
“Everybody acknowledges that the United States degrading the nuclear capability of Iran, but also the long-range missile capability of Iran, is crucial for the Middle East, for Europe, for the whole world.”
Rutte said defence spending was ramping up rapidly following the Hague summit, describing tens of billions flowing in now and hundreds of billions expected over the coming years. The challenge, he said, had moved from generating commitments to spending the money effectively. “That brings us to the big issue of the defence industrial base, which is not producing enough. This is a problem in Europe. This is a problem in the US. This will be a big issue at the Ankara Summit.”
He said the industrial expansion would nonetheless bring significant economic benefits in terms of jobs and new production lines across the Atlantic.
Ukraine also featured on the agenda, with Rutte thanking the United States for continuing to supply interceptors for Patriot air defence systems. “The critical flow of US military support to Ukraine, in terms of, for example, the interceptors for Patriot systems, continues to flow. Paid for by European and Canadian Allies, and it is really vital for Ukraine to stay strong in the fight.”
Why would NATO, a geographically defined Atlantic defensive alliance be considering threats to freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean Mark Rutte.
Mind your own business and get your lips off Trumps arse.
Freedom of navigation is a matter for the UN, currently the USA is the biggest violator of freedom of navigation and it’s the only major western power not to ratify the law of the sea.
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You think Iran is not attacking NATO?
‘The arrest by US of…Iraqi commander of an Iranian-backed militia group now accused of responsibility for 18 terrorist attacks in the UK, Europe and Canada since the beginning of the Iran war…not the least bit surprising.
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi…organising – among other operations – a string of recent firebombings of banks and other targets in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, an arson attack against a synagogue and a shooting at the US consulate in Toronto in March, as well as – most recently – a wave of attacks on mainly Jewish targets in the UK including places of worship and charities.’ 16 May 2026
NATO Treaty:
‘Article 4
The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.’
Saying what his daddy tells him to say 🤡
So did Rutte remind Rubio that the Middle East is not in the North Atlantic,also did he remind Rubio that Vance bragged that he was proud of the fact the US had not given one penny to Ukraine from the trump regime! Weapons are bought by the alliance with a 10% markup from the US for Ukraine! All the while trump is cosying up to pootin lifting sanctions etc!
Jacko, US weapons are bought by the European members of the Alliance, for passing on to Ukraine. Shocking that they are not selling them at cost.
It’s the art of the deal Graham🙄!
Let’s not forget the threats to Canada and Greenland from these numpties either,shower of shit the lot of them😡
Iran has launched several ballistic missiles at a member of NATO:
‘NATO air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile over Turkish airspace on Monday in the fourth incident of its kind since the Iran war started on February 28.’ 30 March 2026
So of course NATO is involved. Iran’s blockade of the Straits of Hormuz is a major threat to the economies of all NATO members, possibly excepting the U.S.
No NATO is not involved,no A5 was triggered as the US done the attacks off its own back! Individual countries that happen to belong to NATO are of course affected BUT is not a NATO mission in the straits! What’s next is he going to want NATO support if/when he invades Cuba?
Article 5 doesn’t need to be triggered for NATO to be involved. It specifically refers to an armed attack against a member state and has only been invoked once. However, NATO has conducted numerous operations without it being activated. I’ve listed a few examples below.
With political consensus, NATO can absolutely act without it.
You have indeed but the big difference is all those operations were considered and agreed upon jointly,the US has unilaterally launched a war which is now not going to any plan they might have had and are now having a hissy fit at NATO which trump has repeatedly said he didn’t need because to put it mildly they are in a bit of a muddle!
I’m sure if Turkey needs any help they will ask and get it.
Rutte isn’t talking about NATO joining a war effort, he’s talking about a collective response to maintain freedom of navigation and stability through the Strait of Hormuz.
And yes, those operations were agreed upon jointly, which is why I said “political consensus”.
The key point is that Articles 4 and 5 are specific treaty mechanisms. Article 5 is collective defence after an armed attack on a member state, and Article 4 is consultation when a member feels threatened. Neither is required for NATO to launch an operation.
Beyond that, NATO acts by consensus in the North Atlantic Council, so if all members agree, an operation can be launched without either article being triggered.
I’m not saying there will or should be a NATO operation, just explaining how it works in principle.
NATO Treaty:
‘Article 4
The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.’
Iran has launched several ballistic missiles at a member of NATO:
‘NATO air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile over Turkish airspace on Monday in the fourth incident of its kind since the Iran war started on February 28.’ 30 March 2026
So of course NATO is involved. Iran’s blockade of the Straits of Hormuz is a major threat to the national economic security of all NATO members, possibly excepting the U.S.
People forget NATO has conducted official alliance operations outside the treaty area for decades when members believed wider alliance security was affected.
Kosovo in 1999 was a NATO air campaign under NATO command.
Libya in 2011 was an NATO operation called Unified Protector.
The anti piracy missions off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden were NATO maritime operations protecting global shipping routes.
NATO also still runs maritime security operations in the Mediterranean.
What confuses people is that NATO operations do not always mean every single NATO member participates militarily. An operation can still be officially NATO led, using NATO command structures, planning systems and assets, even if only some member states actually contribute ships, aircraft or troops.
So while Hormuz is not NATO territory under Article 5, it is absolutely viewed as strategically relevant because disruption there impacts European economies, energy supplies, shipping and wider alliance security.
Quite so. Covered under Article 4 of the NATO Treaty:
‘Article 4
The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.’
With the Strait of Hormuz situation already being discussed at that level, there shouldn’t be any need to invoke Article 4. I’m sure they are just weighing up options at this stage, probably hoping it all just goes away.
Quite so. No need to formally invoke Article 4
“The Parties will consult together etc.’
‘Consultation’ is clarified as: ‘Consultation takes many forms. At its most basic level, it involves simply the exchange of information and opinions…Consultation is continuous and takes place both on a formal and informal basis.’
‘The consultation process and Article 4’ NATO Website, last update Sept 2025.
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