EU's Kallas urges more naval assets to safeguard Red Sea shipping

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday urged member states to commit additional naval assets to Operation Aspides, warning that the current fleet is insufficient to protect commercial shipping from escalating Houthi attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Speaking to reporters in New York following an EU foreign ministers meeting held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Kallas stated that the mission requires significantly more resources. "The operation needs more naval assets and more air assets to address the increased level of threats in the region," she said.

Critical choke points at risk

Kallas framed the Red Sea crisis within a broader pattern of maritime instability threatening global trade. "The Black Sea, the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb are three critical maritime choke points whose disruption spreads far beyond the region," she said, linking the Houthi campaign to wider geopolitical tensions affecting energy and shipping markets worldwide.

Limited member state support

Despite the warnings, EU governments have shown limited interest in expanding the mission beyond its current reliance on three vessels from Italy and Greece with occasional support from other members, according to Bloomberg. "When Aspides was put in place, the indication was that it needs at least 10 ships," Kallas said. "The situation, I think, is even more grave right now." Operation Aspides was launched in 2024 to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea amid growing attacks from Yemen’s Houthi group.