Catherine Field: Europe Correspondent on the talks between European leaders regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Middle East conflict

European leaders have been expressing their concerns over Donald Trump's "Project Freedom" as they met at a political summit in Armenia. Project Freedom began on Monday with the stated aim of getting stranded neutral commercial ships out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. But French president Emmanuel Macron overnight warned the US project lacked clarity and risked further tension, Europe correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking. Other European countries were also waking up to how they are affected by the war, despite their initial claims that it had nothing to do with them, Field said. “Europe's economies are being affected, its transport is being affected. So we're now seeing that Germany has started moving some of its defence assets into position and in particular it's started moving mine hunters into the Mediterranean ready to move to that area…when fighting stops.” Also attending the summit was Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said a new world order would be rebuilt out of Europe, and it needed to think about how it could cooperate with nations beyond the EU. Carney’s presence showed everyone was realising the US was not just a complicated partner, it was now seen as unpredictable, emphasising the need for unity, Field said. LISTEN ABOVE

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Catherine Field: Europe Correspondent on the talks between European leaders regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Middle East conflict is an episode from The Mike Hosking Breakfast by NZME.

This episode is 4:45 long.

This episode was published on May 4, 2026.

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