Brussels 08.04.2024 Today the EU top diplomat Josep Borrell held a press conference together with the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES Operation Commander Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis to provide an update about activities to restore maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

Since its launch on 19 February, Operation ASPIDES successfully acted to mitigate the negative impact of the current disruption of navigation in the Red Sea by the Houthis, while safeguarding commercial and security interests of the EU and the wider international community.

Operation Aspides, launched to defend commercial vessels from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, escorted 68 merchant ships and repelled 11 attacks. “In less than two months since the launch of Operation Aspides, the operation has escorted 68 ships and repelled 11 attacks. It is therefore a mission that has a certain weight and important level of commitment and risk,” Borrell said during the press conference. –

“It has a defensive mandate. We are not engaged in any operations against the Houthis on the ground. Our ships operate in self-defense and to protect target ships. It must be said clearly because transparency and openness towards regional actors has been our priority since we started preparing this operation,”  Borrell  explained.

“This mission is clear proof of our will and our ability to strengthen international security, to protect global public assets, to protect transport routes, to defend the interests of the European Union. It is a concrete example of how the European Union acts as a maritime security provider” Borrell concluded.

In the  Q & A session both Borrell and Gryparis did not consider there is any impact of Russian warships presence in the Red Sea. They considered that the situation is framed by the freedom of navigation, foreseen by the law of sea.

Russian warships entered the Red Sea for the first time since the Ukrainian crisis broke out, sparking talk that the Vladimir Putin regime was intended to protect tankers shipping cheap crude oil.