STORY: European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday (March 17) that the EU has not closed its doors on participating in an operation near the Red Sea.

Kallas says member states do not want to put their people in harms way in the Strait of Hormuz, and are looking for diplomatic ways to keep the strait open.

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VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, KAJA KALLAS, IN INTERVIEW

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SHOWS: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MARCH 17, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, KAJA KALLAS, SITTING FOR INTERVIEW

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS JOURNALIST, ANDREW GRAY, SAYING:

"For Europe, it could be very important. Also, in security terms, as NATO is the main guarantor of European security. So is it wise to close the door here to some kind of participation?"

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, KAJA KALLAS, SAYING:

"I don't think the door is closed. I mean, like I said yesterday as well, for the time being, member states do not have an appetite to change the mandate of this operation, especially because the Red Sea is still important as well. So nobody is ready to put their people in harm's way in the Strait of Hormuz. But like I said, we have to find, you know, diplomatic ways to keep this open so that we don't have a, you know, food crisis, fertilizers crisis, energy crisis in the world."

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS JOURNALIST, ANDREW GRAY, SAYING:

"So you would imagine some kind of diplomatic solution, and then European navies could be involved there. Is that more likely?"

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, KAJA KALLAS, SAYING:

"Yes, that is what member states were saying. I mean, after the hostilities have stopped, then the case might be different."