Appetite among NATO members to join Iran war 'very limited', says Norway's foreign affairs minister

Published on 21/04/2026 - 9:57 GMT+2

Norway has pushed backmost against disapproval from US President Donald Trump implicit what helium described arsenic “zero” European enactment successful the struggle with Iran.

“NATO is simply a antiaircraft alliance. It is not an onslaught alliance,” Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Euronews’ Europe Today programme.

Eide said NATO members are focused connected safeguarding cardinal planetary commercialized routes, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. “NATO countries are doing something, but it’s not arsenic a enactment to a conflict,” helium added.

Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO allies for not backing Washington successful the Iran conflict. He raised the contented again during a White House gathering earlier this period with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Eide argued that, dissimilar past interventions specified arsenic those successful the Balkans during the 1990s, determination had been nary anterior mentation oregon statement wrong the alliance. As a result, determination is “very constricted appetite” among subordinate states to articulation the war.

He said that portion some the US and Iran whitethorn person reasons to extremity the conflict, “the sides are acold apart”, with negotiations hindered by opposing demands. On Monday, Trump said the United States would support its blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran agrees to a bid deal.

Despite this, Eide pointed to signs of “some progress”, noting the broader planetary interaction of the conflict. “This is not lone an contented for the 2 sides, but it affects the full satellite economy,” helium said.

On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Eide reiterated enactment for a two-state solution based connected long-standing United Nations principles. However, helium acknowledged that specified an result is “not astir the corner”.

He added that a two-state solution is besides successful Israel’s interest, describing it arsenic “the lone viable solution for existent bid successful a precise troubled region”.

Norway, alongside Spain and Ireland, recognised the State of Palestine successful 2024.