Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has ruled out Greek military participation in the Strait of Hormuz, rebuffing mounting pressure from the Trump administration to join a multinational naval coalition in the conflict-strained waterway. Speaking at the Bloomberg “Greek Energy: The New Era” conference, Mr. Mitsotakis signaled that Athens will not engage in any unilateral military escalation in the Persian Gulf. His remarks follow a direct appeal from President Donald Trump for NATO allies to secure the strait, which has remained in a state of "effective closure" since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began Feb. 28. Mr. Trump warned over the weekend that the future of NATO would be "very bad" for members failing to support the mission. "The simple answer is no," Mr. Mitsotakis said during a discussion with journalist Francine Lacqua. "Greece is not going to participate in any operation around the theater of current operations." The prime minister emphasized that Greece’s military focus remains defensive and regional. He noted that while Greece was the first to deploy frigates and F-16 Vipers to support Cyprus following recent drone attacks on British sovereign bases, the mandate for Operation Aspides—the EU’s naval mission—will not be expanded to the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Mitsotakis described the likelihood of a European-endorsed combat mission as "very low" at this stage. With global oil prices surging past $116 a barrel, Mr. Mitsotakis called on European leaders to prepare for a "prolonged energy crisis." He urged the EU to deploy a "toolbox" of targeted supports for households, similar to the 2022 response to the Ukraine war. He specifically called for a "realistic Green Deal" that balances climate goals with industrial affordability, suggesting a recalibration of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) to protect the shipping and cement sectors from crippling costs. "We cannot wait eight months for a decision this time," Mr. Mitsotakis said. "Everything must be examined through the lens of affordability." Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr