NICOSIA, Cyprus — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on April 25, 2026, that the European Union is prepared to fund and develop alternative energy infrastructure in the Middle East to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the conclusion of an informal summit of EU leaders in Nicosia, von der Leyen stated that the bloc is seeking to establish new transit routes that are not held hostage to war or geopolitical strife.
The announcement comes as a direct response to the ongoing conflict in the Persian Gulf, which has entered its 50th day. The hostilities have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint that typically handles approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply. Von der Leyen emphasized that the security of European industry is intrinsically linked to the stability of these trade routes, noting that a threat to merchant vessels in the Gulf translates directly to economic disruptions within the Union.
According to Commission estimates, the EU has spent an additional 24 billion euros on energy imports since the start of the conflict due to surging global prices, despite receiving no increase in total energy volume. On April 25, Brent crude was trading at 100.33 dollars per barrel, while the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate stood at 96.66 dollars. The Commission reported that the fuel crunch has significantly impacted the transport and aviation sectors, with several European airports facing severe jet fuel shortages.
The proposed infrastructure strategy involves teaming up with Gulf Cooperation Council member states to diversify export routes away from the Hormuz bottleneck. This includes the potential for land-based pipelines and the repair of existing Gulf energy sites damaged during the recent hostilities. The initiative is part of a broader AccelerateEU energy plan unveiled earlier this week, which outlines both short-term emergency interventions and long-term structural shifts to reduce dependency on volatile fossil fuel markets.
In addition to infrastructure funding, von der Leyen called for increased defense cooperation and suggested the expansion of the EU's maritime security mission in the Red Sea to provide naval protection in the Persian Gulf. The Commission is also working with member states to coordinate natural gas purchasing and explore voluntary energy savings to mitigate the impact of the supply disruption. Further discussions on these strategies are scheduled for an emergency meeting of EU energy ministers next week.