CAIRO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on allies to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil flows, as global oil prices spike amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Most allies have rejected the request.

TRUMP'S CALL

On Saturday, Trump said the United States and several other nations would send naval forces to secure the strait.

"Many countries, especially those affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the United States, to keep the strait open and safe," he wrote on social media. He told reporters he was "demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory."

But by Tuesday, Trump said his calls had gone largely unanswered, and reversed course, declaring that U.S. forces no longer needed allied assistance in the conflict with Iran.

"We do not need the help of anyone!" he wrote on Truth Social, calling the NATO allies' refusal a "very foolish mistake."

WHICH COUNTRIES REJECTED THE CALL?

-- Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday ruled out Germany sending ships, adding that the war on Iran is "not a matter for NATO."

"There was never a joint decision on whether to intervene. That is why the question of how Germany might contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so," Merz said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius rejected the call the same day, saying, "This is not our war, we have not started it. What does Donald Trump expect from a handful of European frigates in the Strait of Hormuz that the mighty U.S. Navy cannot manage alone?"

-- Britain

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that the country would not be "drawn into the wider war."

He said London is working with allies on a "viable plan" to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, but clarified that it "won't be, and it's never been envisioned to be a NATO mission."

-- France

France had made its position clear before Trump's comments. French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin said on Thursday that "there is no question of sending any vessels to the Strait of Hormuz," while the war continued to escalate.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that France will not participate in the operations to reopen the crucial waterway when the conflict is still ongoing.

-- European Union

After a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said member states have no appetite for expanding their existing small naval mission "Aspides" in the Red Sea to the Strait of Hormuz.

"Nobody is ready to put their people in harm's way in the Strait of Hormuz," she said, adding, "This is not Europe's war."

-- Italy

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio said EU's existing missions like "Aspides" are primarily designed for defensive escort and anti-piracy operations, adding that he doesn't believe "it can be extended to Hormuz."

-- Spain

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles on Monday rejected Trump's demand as well as his threats of a "very bad future" for NATO allies failing to help reopen the Hormuz.

"Spain will never accept any stopgap measures, because the objective must be for the war to end, and for it to end now," Robles said.

The government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has earlier banned the U.S. military from using bases in southern Spain for operations against Iran.

-- Portugal

Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Monday that Portugal "is not and will not be involved in this conflict."

-- Finland

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Monday that Finland has "hardly any additional resources" and that the strait is not a "top priority."

-- The Netherlands

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten said on Monday that any mission in the Strait of Hormuz "will need an ease in tensions in the region" first.

-- Poland

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that Poland "does not plan any expedition to Iran," adding that Washington understood Warsaw's decision.

-- Japan

Japan has no plans to send naval vessels to the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, distancing Tokyo from Trump's call for allies to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

"We have not made any decisions whatsoever about dispatching escort ships," Takaichi told parliament, adding that Japan was still weighing its options within its legal constraints.

-- South Korea

South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Tuesday that South Korea has not received any official request from the United States to deploy warships to the Middle East.

He said any potential deployment would need to be decided in consideration of national interests, public safety, and relevant laws, and would require parliamentary approval.

-- Australia

Australia will not send naval vessels to protect oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the country's Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said on Monday.

"We're well-prepared here in this country to weather the economic crisis that is occurring as a result of the Middle East," King said.  ■