FT: France blocks invitations for NATO, EU chiefs ahead of Hormuz summit

France has rejected a British proposal to invite Mark Rutte and Ursula von der Leyen to a high-level summit on securing the Strait of Hormuz, officials familiar with the preparations told the Financial Times. 

The meeting, hosted in Paris on April 17 by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, aims to develop an international plan to safeguard the vital shipping route after the end of the ongoing war in the region.

Three officials said the Élysée Palace twice removed Rutte and von der Leyen from a proposed British guest list, with Paris insisting the summit should focus on heads of government rather than institutional leaders. The UK government declined to comment.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to attend in person.

Officials said the summit would bring together representatives from around 40 countries that last month signed a memorandum expressing their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the strait.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and other American officials are not expected to participate. However, one official said Washington would be kept informed of the discussions.

“The US won’t be on the call, but you can expect Starmer and Macron to brief the president after the meeting to keep him in the loop,” the official said.

By Sabina Mammadli