Brussels breathes a sigh of relief over the ceasefire between the United States and Iran. They celebrate, of course, the fact that the confrontations and bombings are stopping, but also that this is a first step towards the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Because in the EU, the economic consequences of the closure of that passage are of great concern, and in the European capital, they are already calling for the recovery of ship traffic in the area.
"The ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran represents a step back from the abyss after weeks of escalation. It creates a much-needed opportunity to reduce threats, stop missiles, resume maritime traffic, and open up space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement. The Strait of Hormuz must be reopened to transit," said Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, on her X social media profile.
The EU's top diplomat has been the first EU leader to speak out and, at the same time, the one who most strongly called for the reopening of the strait. The price of energy depends directly on this, and the Commission has already warned that the EU is facing a "stagflation shock," a dangerous scenario in which the economy does not grow but inflation, prices, do.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for her part, stated that the ceasefire is "a much-needed de-escalation." "I thank Pakistan for its mediation efforts. It is now essential that negotiations continue to achieve a lasting solution to this conflict. We will continue to coordinate with our partners for this," added the German official.
And the head of the Council, António Costa, also welcomed "the announcement of a two-week ceasefire by the United States and Iran." "I urge all parties to respect its terms to achieve sustainable peace in the region. The EU is ready to support ongoing efforts and maintains close contact with its partners in the region," continued the Portuguese official on his social media, finally thanking "Pakistan and all other parties involved for their role in facilitating this agreement."
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed a very similar tone. "Satisfaction," gratitude to Pakistan, and "close contact" with partners, stated the leader of Germany.