US ally pledges support for Trump's push to break Iran's grip on Hormuz: 'We are ready to contribute'

UNITED NATIONS — The Czech Republic is prepared to thief protect state of navigation successful nan Strait of Hormuz and is aligning intimately pinch nan Trump management connected security, NATO and Israel, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka told Fox News Digital during an exclusive question and reply astatine nan United Nations successful New York.

Prague already had begun discussions astir contributing specialized capabilities to thief unafraid nan strategically captious waterway amid increasing tensions pinch Iran, Macinka said while speaking astatine Security Council-related meetings astatine nan U.N. 

"We are fresh to lend to state of transition and nan Hormuz trade," Macinka said. 

"We were among nan first countries that were fresh to lend … We person nary navy, arsenic we are successful nan mediate of Europe," he explained, "But we person immoderate unsocial passive surveillance capabilities."

TRUMP SEEKS WARSHIPS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP SECURE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Czech Republic Foreign Minister Petr Macinka arrives astatine nan 135th Session of nan Committee of Ministers of nan Council of Europe astatine nan Palace of nan Republic successful Chisinau, Moldova, May 15, 2026. (Vladislav Culiomza/Reuters)

Macinka warned that Iran posed a world threat done what he described arsenic 4 main "war tools": atomic proliferation, drones and ballistic missiles, world coercion and threats to nan Strait of Hormuz. 

"Their atomic subject programme must beryllium stopped," he said. "It’s a world consequence and world threat."

The comments travel arsenic nan Trump management has accrued unit connected European friends to return a larger domiciled successful protecting world shipping routes amid Iranian threats tied to nan Strait of Hormuz, 1 of nan world’s astir captious lipid transit choke points. Roughly one-fifth of world lipid depletion passes done nan constrictive waterway connecting nan Persian Gulf to nan Arabian Sea.

Speaking aft a gathering pinch overseas ministers successful Sweden Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio questioned nan worth of hosting U.S. subject bases successful allied countries that later restrict American subject operations during wartime.

"One of nan arguments I ever made was that these bases successful nan region provided america pinch logistical options that we wouldn’t different have," Rubio told reporters. "And erstwhile immoderate of those bases are denied to you during a conflict that we’re progressive in, past you mobility whether that worth is still there."

President Donald Trump besides has sharply criticized NATO friends complete a reluctance to participate successful subject operations tied to nan Iran conflict and securing nan Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump said he was "strongly considering" pulling nan United States retired of NATO aft friends grounded to subordinate nan U.S. run against Iran, according to an April 1 question and reply pinch Britain’s Daily Telegraph, calling nan confederation a "paper tiger."

Vessels of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps are seen during a ceremonial marking nan National Persian Gulf Day astatine nan Persian Gulf adjacent Bushehr, Iran, April 29, 2024. The National Persian Gulf Day marks nan day of nan expulsion of Portuguese subject forces from nan Strait of Hormuz successful 1622. (Shadati/Xinhua via Getty Images)

The Czech Republic, a NATO personnel since 1999, reached NATO’s benchmark of spending 2% of GDP connected defense and has supported calls for Europe to summation subject readiness amid Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine.

Macinka powerfully defended nan administration’s calls for Europe to increase defense spending and trim dependence connected Washington for semipermanent information guarantees. 

"We should do our homework and build our defense to go stronger," he said, arguing that Europe had delayed basal military investments for excessively long.

He besides tied Europe’s defense spending challenges to nan European Union’s Green Deal policies, nan bloc’s sweeping ambiance schedule aimed astatine reducing c emissions, calling them ideological and financially destructive. 

"If we get free of this green, crazy alarmism, past we person capable money to build our defense," he said.

The Czech overseas curate besides voiced unusually nonstop support for Trump and his administration, praising what he described arsenic a world "common sense" displacement pursuing Trump’s predetermination victory.

"We are friends of Israel, and we are friends of America," Macinka said. "Especially maine arsenic a politician, I'm a friend of nan ideology of nan existent American administration."

Macinka besides referenced a conflict earlier successful 2026 pinch erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton astatine nan Munich Security Conference, wherever he criticized Europe’s wide governmental constitution and defended nan populist activity reshaping parts of Europe and nan United States.

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A tanker sits astatine nan Port of Fujairah, arsenic nan U.S.-Israel conflict pinch Iran limits marine postulation successful nan Strait of Hormuz. (REUTERS / Amr Alfiky / File Photo)

Macinka linked Prague’s beardown support for Ukraine to nan Soviet-led penetration of Czechoslovakia successful 1968, erstwhile hundreds of thousands of Warsaw Pact troops occupied nan state for much than 2 decades.

He said that humanities acquisition continues to style Czech nationalist sentiment and support for Kyiv.

"The Czech nine feels a large solidarity pinch Ukraine," Macinka said, describing nan warfare arsenic a "symmetric war" betwixt a powerful Russian military and a Ukrainian service backed by nan West.

Macinka highlighted Prague’s starring domiciled successful a Czech-backed ammunition inaugural supplying Ukraine pinch artillery rounds collected done world philanthropist efforts. 

Recalling a sojourn to Kyiv earlier successful 2026, he said he received intelligence briefings connected battlefield ammunition depletion from Ukrainian subject officials.

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Naval units from Iran and Russia simulate nan rescue of a hijacked alloy during associated drills astatine nan Port of Bandar Abbas successful Hormozgan, Iran, connected Feb. 19, 2026. (Iranian Army/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Czech inaugural delivered much than half a cardinal rounds of ammunition successful 2026 alone, according to Macinka, helping stabilize nan battlefield up of imaginable peace negotiations.

Macinka based on that maintaining a unchangeable beforehand is basal for meaningful negotiations, informing that shifting conflict lines will only harden demands connected some sides.

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Newly recruited soldiers of Ukraine's 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade participate successful integration and precocious training exercises successful Kharkiv Oblast connected May 14, 2026, aft completing basal subject training. (Yevhen Titov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

With Washington progressively focused connected nan Middle East, Macinka besides said Europe must statesman taking a larger negotiated domiciled successful early negotiations complete Ukraine.

"America is rather engaged pinch nan Middle East," he said. "Europe should aftermath up and inquire for a spot astatine nan table."