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Kaja Kallas announced that EU foreign ministers will gather in Luxembourg to review regional developments and their implications for security and stability amid persistent threats to international navigation and energy supplies. The top EU diplomat emphasized the value of alignment between the European Union’s Operation Aspides and the Saudi-led international maritime defense coalition as part of wider efforts to protect commercial vessels and maintain freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. According to Kallas, the ministers will also address disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb along with their consequences for global trade and energy markets.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense reported that the kingdom hosted an inaugural meeting in Riyadh on July 30, 2026, attended by representatives from 43 countries and the EU to advance plans for a multinational maritime defense coalition. A joint statement issued by 14 participating nations including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar and Turkey outlined the coalition’s goals to enhance maritime security, shield international corridors and counter threats to navigation and global trade. The Saudi Ministry of Defense said the alliance will establish its joint operations coordination center, subordinate maritime operations center and general secretariat in the kingdom, with Saudi Arabia serving as the founding and leading nation.
Kallas stressed the importance of coordination between Operation Aspides, which has escorted vessels for 29 months, and the Saudi-led coalition in response to ongoing Houthi attacks that have disrupted shipping. She said, “Europe is helping protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks.” A separate EU assessment found that the operation recently raised its vessels’ alert level to address the worsening security situation while continuing its escort mission for commercial ships.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense noted that the July gathering reviewed a draft charter, organizational structure, command arrangements and operational mechanisms for the proposed alliance with a focus on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Participants agreed the coalition remains open to all countries that share its principles of safeguarding free navigation and international commerce. The initiative builds on earlier bilateral talks in which Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed Red Sea threats with multiple European counterparts.
Discussions among EU ministers are scheduled just days before a planned summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council on October 24, according to EU planning documents. Kallas has separately condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia as unacceptable and has engaged with Saudi officials on restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The Saudi Press Agency reported that parallel talks with ministers from Italy, Spain, Germany and Greece reaffirmed the need to preserve maritime security in the Red Sea, Arabian Gulf and related waterways.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense assessment identified growing threats to commercial vessels, energy tankers and critical infrastructure as the primary drivers for the new coalition. Ministers are also expected to examine developments involving Iran, Yemen and the Horn of Africa during the Luxembourg session, Kallas indicated. These diplomatic exchanges reflect sustained international focus on stabilizing key maritime routes that carry roughly 10 percent of global trade.
