Catherine Field: Europe Correspondent on the talks between European leaders regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Middle East conflict

European leaders have been expressing their concerns over Donald Trump's "Project Freedom" as they met at a political summit in Armenia. 

Project Freedom began on Monday with the stated aim of getting stranded neutral commercial ships out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. 

But French president Emmanuel Macron overnight warned the US project lacked clarity and risked further tension, Europe correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking. 

Other European countries were also waking up to how they are affected by the war, despite their initial claims that it had nothing to do with them, Field said. 

“Europe's economies are being affected, its transport is being affected. So we're now seeing that Germany has started moving some of its defence assets into position and in particular it's started moving mine hunters into the Mediterranean ready to move to that area…when fighting stops.” 

Also attending the summit was Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said a new world order would be rebuilt out of Europe, and it needed to think about how it could cooperate with nations beyond the EU. 

Carney’s presence showed everyone was realising the US was not just a complicated partner, it was now seen as unpredictable, emphasising the need for unity, Field said. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Happy Tuesday, Catherine, How are you good? Good? Now there's
a Menia thing. I mean, the Russians a bit sniffy
about this, given the relationship.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
They're very sniffy about this. I mean, if you just
look at it, Mike, you've got forty countries from Iceland
right through to the Caucuses. You've also got the all
the heads of the various parts of the European Union.
You've got the NATO Sexuury General, You've got Ukraine, Zelensky
in town. And now let's not forget Amenia. Until very

(00:29):
recently was the closed ally of Russia. And of course,
just back in April last month, medium Prime Minister went
to Moscow met with Putin and said and Putin made
it pretty clear he wasn't very happy about this coziness
to the West. But it seems times have changed, and
they're changing pretty quickly. It's more a symbolic meeting. I

(00:50):
think this one, Mike. You they're getting together, they're realizing
they need to find new defense and security solutions. They're
all realizing they've got to defend their demok crisies against interference.
But really, you know, it's looking so much as though
this is all everyone coming together realizing they've got to
do something, and that it's just time that Europe woke

(01:12):
up in particular, reached out for new allies and started thinking, well,
we're now on our own.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Is that what Karnie's doing there?

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Absolutely? I mean Cannie, let's not forget when was it
a Damos earlier this year where he said wake up everyone,
there is a new world order. Mark Carney, the Canadian
Prime Minister that just within the last couple of hours
came out with a very strong statement saying that it
was his view that a new international world order is
being rebuilt and it will be rebuilt out of Europe.

(01:41):
So very much the idea now, Mike, that Europe needs
to think about how it can cooperate with nations beyond
the EU. It's not just about transatlantic relations. It's about
really that increased pressure to deepen their cooperation. And that
is what you've seen with Cannie there. His president is

(02:01):
not just you know, it's not as interesting that he's there,
but it shows that everyone's now realizing that the US
is not just a complicated partner, but is now an
unpredictable partner, and that unity is where it's at now.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
I was thinking about the meetings because starmers there of course,
and he's doing a dubtail and on this latest loan package,
and your head who was hungry the other day with
the election, So some of the money gets freed up
for Ukraine, blah blah blah. How much of the money
that's flowing to Ukraine when they call it alone, how
much of it's ever going to get repaid?

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well, you know, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, it
will be eventually repaid. Whether how it's repaid, you're right, mate,
it's a bit fudgy there, especially now when we're since
that started this whole debate about the loan, how it
got held up, Europe's economies have really started to find

(02:55):
it difficult in this new economic climate, particularly with what's
happening in the straight of hor moves.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
Yes speaking, which how are we feeling about Project Freedom?

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Well, a little bit of concern there, the particularly Emmanual
macronoal just in the last couple of hours he's been saying,
you know, it does seem to what do you say,
lacks clarity and risks further tension. But on the other side,
we've got your Germany of course, what just a week
ago the big dust start between German Chancellor Metz and

(03:23):
Donald Trump burst into the headlines. Or within the last
couple of hours, Germany, along with anyone else, is realizing
that the initial decision member that was saying this is
not Europe's war, it's got nothing to do with us. Well,
Europe is affected. Europe's economies are being affected, its transport
is being affected. So we're now seeing that Germany has

(03:44):
started moving some of its defense assets in position, and
in particular it started moving mind hunters into the Mediterranean,
ready to move to that area around a run when
fighting stops. Now, who knows when that will be?

Speaker 1 (04:01):
All right, Kath and ketch up next week. Appreciate it
very much. Russia, by the way, sells gas to our
media for one hundred and seventy seven fifty per one
thousand cubic meters Europe at costs six hundred, so I
think that Russia might be looking at that particular deal.
I note also the other day the French Prime minister
went into a bakery and he ordered some croissants and
some back get and he also bought some flowers. And

(04:21):
his point was, apparently May one Labor Day. They take
it very seriously in France, and if you're a bakery
and a florist you need to close, but some of
them stayed open. So he went and bought some stuff
and he's trying to change the rules around that, but
the French, you know what the French like when it
comes to a day off, they are not for moving.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.