The chairman of the Defense Committee in the German Bundestag, Thomas Röwekamp (CDU), says it is conceivable for the German navy to take part in securing the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to the news channel Welt, he pointed out that the Bundeswehr has already shown that the Navy can perform such tasks in the Red Sea.
“Freedom of the seas is an internationally recognized right” Röwekamp said. “We already defend that freedom, for example, in our EU mandate in the Red Sea as part of the Aspides mission”. He added that the demand to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for civilian shipping is understandable and justified. “We will need to coordinate closely with our partners to determine whether, and if so, which military means can enforce this international right on the ground” he said.
However, Röwekamp emphasized that any deployment of German ships would only be possible within an international framework. “First, we need to coordinate with our European partners” he explained. “Only then, based on an international mission, can we move forward. We have already demonstrated internationally that we can secure freedom of shipping lanes and trade worldwide, and we will be able to do so there as well”.
