Trump threatened Europe over Strait of Hormuz, with weapons for Ukraine as bargaining chip, FT reports

Trump sought help from NATO allies in reopening the strait as fuel prices surged worldwide, but European nations showed little interest in joining the U.S. war in Iran, and in response Trump threatened to stop the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, whereby NATO nations buy U.S. arms for Ukraine, three sources told the FT. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte then on March 19 issued a joint statement with allies including France, the United Kingdom, and Germany expressing readiness to contribute to efforts ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with one official saying Rutte insisted on the statement because Trump had threatened to withdraw from PURL and Ukraine support in general, and that it was quickly assembled with other countries joining later due to lack of time for full coordination. Another official described Trump as “rather hysterical” over Europe’s refusal to monitor the strait, while Trump has since escalated anti-NATO rhetoric, saying on April 1 he is strongly considering pulling the U.S. from NATO, and telling the Telegraph that “Ukraine wasn't our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them, and we would always have been there for them. They weren't there for us,” with Trump expected to further outline his NATO position later that day. Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly said Trump has made his disappointment with NATO and allies clear and that “the United States will remember,” according to statements to multiple outlets including the Kyiv Independent. The U.S. war against Iran has also raised alarm in Ukraine over continued flows of American weapons, especially air defense interceptor missiles needed against Russian drone attacks, with reports in March suggesting the Pentagon was considering redirecting aid intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, though Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha later said on March 29 that Washington reassured Kyiv at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Summit in France that no committed military aid was being redirected, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming this in person. Rubio and Rutte held multiple calls before the Hormuz joint statement was published, and Ukraine has also said it will help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, with President Volodymyr Zelensky stating on March 30 that Kyiv will supply weapons and defense technology as part of new defense agreements with Gulf nations.