A high-stakes virtual diplomatic summit focused on the Strait of Hormuz will bring together more than 40 global leaders Wednesday night, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese set to take part in talks aimed at reopening the critical waterway and cementing regional peace after a months-long blockade.
Organized under the banner of the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative, the meeting is co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and newly installed British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, who is currently in Paris to oversee the gathering. The summit is scheduled to kick off at 10:30 pm local time, with a clear policy agenda centered on long-term security for one of the world’s busiest global shipping chokepoints.
Notably, US President Donald Trump will not be in attendance, multiple Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports confirm. The absence comes amid open friction between Trump and the Australian government over his earlier blockade of the strait, during which he publicly slammed Australia for failing to back his actions.
“I’m not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there,” Trump told reporters overnight. “They were not there, having to do with Hormuz. So I’m not happy, I’m not happy with them.”
Albanese pushed back on the criticism Friday, clarifying that his administration had not received any formal new requests for support from the White House. The prime minister also pointed to Trump’s own past remarks downplaying the need for allied assistance. “And indeed, President Trump has himself said that he has got this and he has made that position clear,” Albanese told reporters.
Trump has previously doubled down on this stance, writing on social media that the U.S. had achieved such overwhelming military success in the region that it “no longer ‘need,’ or desire” allies’ help — adding “WE NEVER DID!” for emphasis.
According to an official statement from the British Prime Minister’s office, tonight’s summit will prioritize two core goals: shoring up the fragile ceasefire that has paused active hostilities in the region, and laying the groundwork for the permanent, secure reopening of the strait’s shipping lanes.
“Discussions will also include supporting the vital work of the International Maritime Organisation, who will dial into the call, to ensure the safety of seafarers and vessels,” the statement continues. The release added that Starmer, who completed a tour of Gulf states last week, has prioritized aligning diplomatic, military and economic tools to protect the ceasefire and mitigate global energy and food price shocks that have driven up cost of living pressures worldwide since the blockade began.
Following tonight’s diplomatic gathering, a separate multinational military planning session is scheduled for next week at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, where defense officials will work through operational details for long-term security deployments in the region.