European nations have taken no concrete steps to strengthen shipping protection in the Red Sea, Italy's defence minister said on Tuesday, adding that governments have failed to respond to his calls to bolster the bloc's naval mission in the area.
In September, Guido Crosetto urged the European Union to bolster its Aspides mission, launched in 2024 to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis that have escalated as part of the Middle East conflict.
"I have yet to see anything concrete," Crosetto told Reuters, although he said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had, "fully understood," the importance of Italy's request.
Following Crosetto's appeal, Kallas wrote to the bloc's 27 member states urging them to increase their contributions, saying more than 10 warships would be needed for the mission to be truly effective.
Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore reported that talks among EU states on boosting contributions have so far been inconclusive, partly due to the reluctance of some members with limited resources to deploy assets.
"About one third of European operations depend on Italy's contribution. Other countries, far larger than us, contribute much, much less," said Crosetto, a senior member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government.
"If it is right to invest in missions, then it is right that everyone contributes," he added, speaking after an event in Rome.
The US-Israel war on Iran has disrupted maritime routes that are vital for global trade and energy supplies, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to higher shipping costs and adding to inflationary pressures.
According to Assarmatori, one of Italy's main shipowners' associations, around 40 per cent of the country's trade with the rest of the world passes through the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea.
The Houthis have intensified attacks on commercial shipping and strategic infrastructure, while Saudi Arabia has also carried out strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)