Key facts
- Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated that contributions to the EU's Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea are insufficient.
- Crosetto welcomed additional assets from some member states but said they are not enough to guarantee safe passage.
- The EU's Aspides mission, launched in 2024, aims to protect commercial shipping from Houthi attacks.
- Six warships are currently deployed in the Aspides mission.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated on Friday that contributions to the European Union's naval mission in the Red Sea remain insufficient to adequately protect shipping. Speaking after a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in Rome, Crosetto welcomed the decision by some member states to contribute additional assets to Operation Aspides.
However, Crosetto emphasized that these contributions are still not enough to guarantee the safe passage of merchant vessels through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Italy had previously urged allies to increase their involvement, expressing readiness to deploy its own ships to circumvent potential delays in the EU's decision-making process.