US ally vows to aid Trump’s efforts to counter Iran’s Hormuz dominance: “Prepared to contribute”

(SeaPRwire) –   UNITED NATIONS — Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka stated in an exclusive interview with Digital at the United Nations in New York that the Czech Republic stands ready to assist in safeguarding navigation freedom in the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that Prague is closely coordinating with the Trump administration regarding security matters, NATO, and Israel.

Speaking during meetings related to the Security Council at the U.N., Macinka revealed that Prague has initiated talks regarding the contribution of specialized assets to help secure this strategically crucial waterway, particularly as tensions with Iran continue to rise.

“We are ready to contribute to freedom of passage and the Hormuz trade,” Macinka affirmed.

“We were among the first countries that were ready to contribute … We have no navy, as we are in the middle of Europe,” he elaborated, adding, “But we have some unique passive surveillance capabilities.”

Macinka cautioned that Iran represents a worldwide danger via four primary “war tools” he identified: nuclear proliferation, ballistic missiles and drones, international terrorism, and dangers to the Strait of Hormuz.

“Their nuclear military program must be stopped,” he declared. “It’s a global risk and global threat.”

These remarks arrive as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on European partners to assume a greater role in defending international shipping lanes. This follows Iranian threats concerning the Strait of Hormuz, a pivotal choke point for global oil transit where approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption flows through the narrow channel linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

Following a Friday gathering with foreign ministers in Sweden, Secretary of State Marco Rubio cast doubt on the utility of hosting U.S. military bases in allied nations that subsequently limit American military operations during times of war.

“One of the arguments I always made was that these bases in the region provided us with logistical options that we wouldn’t otherwise have,” Rubio mentioned to the press. “And when some of those bases are denied to you during a conflict that we’re involved in, then you question whether that value is still there.”

President Donald Trump has also heavily criticized NATO allies for their hesitation to engage in military operations related to the Iran conflict and the security of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to an April 1 interview with Britain’s Daily Telegraph, Trump stated he was “strongly considering” withdrawing the United States from NATO after allies declined to join the U.S. campaign against Iran, labeling the alliance a “paper tiger.”

Having been a NATO member since 1999, the Czech Republic has met the alliance’s 2% of GDP defense spending target and has backed appeals for Europe to boost military readiness in light of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Macinka firmly supported the administration’s urging for Europe to hike defense spending and lessen its reliance on Washington for enduring security assurances.

“We should do our homework and build our defense to become stronger,” he stated, arguing that Europe has postponed essential military investments for an excessive period.

He also connected Europe’s defense spending difficulties to the European Union’s Green Deal policies—the bloc’s extensive climate strategy designed to cut carbon emissions—denouncing them as ideological and financially ruinous.

“If we get rid of this green, crazy alarmism, then we have enough money to build our defense,” he remarked.

The Czech diplomat also offered notably direct backing for Trump and his administration, lauding what he characterized as a worldwide shift toward “common sense” subsequent to Trump’s electoral win.

“We are friends of Israel, and we are friends of America,” Macinka expressed. “Especially me as a politician, I’m a friend of the ideology of the current American administration.”

Macinka also alluded to a confrontation earlier in 2026 with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Munich Security Conference, during which he critiqued Europe’s liberal political order and championed the populist trend transforming regions of Europe and the U.S.

Macinka connected Prague’s robust backing of Ukraine to the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, an event in which hundreds of thousands of Warsaw Pact soldiers occupied the nation for over two decades.

He noted that this historical experience continues to mold Czech public sentiment and support for Kyiv.

“The Czech society feels a big solidarity with Ukraine,” Macinka observed, describing the conflict as a “symmetric war” pitting a potent Russian military against a Ukrainian force supported by the West.

Macinka emphasized Prague’s leadership in a Czech-backed ammunition project that is supplying Ukraine with artillery shells gathered via international donor contributions.

Recalling a trip to Kyiv earlier in 2026, he mentioned receiving intelligence briefings regarding battlefield ammunition usage from Ukrainian military authorities.

The Czech effort supplied over half a million rounds of ammunition in 2026 alone, according to Macinka, aiding in the stabilization of the battlefield prior to potential peace talks.

Macinka contended that keeping a stable front line is crucial for substantive negotiations, cautioning that fluctuating battle lines would only serve to harden the demands of both parties.

As Washington’s attention shifts increasingly toward the Middle East, Macinka asserted that Europe must start assuming a more significant diplomatic role in upcoming negotiations concerning Ukraine.

“America is quite busy with the Middle East,” he stated. “Europe should wake up and ask for a place at the table.”