Europe cheers Trump’s Iran ceasefire

Europe breathed a cautious sigh of relief Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, halting missile strikes in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement as “much-needed de-escalation,” thanking Pakistan for its mediation and calling for negotiations on an “enduring solution” to continue.

“The U.S.–Iran agreement on a ceasefire is a step back from the brink,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas added on X, urging efforts to “restart shipping” and turn the truce into a lasting deal.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “a moment of relief” and is set to travel to the Middle East on Wednesday to work with Gulf partners on making the reopening of the strait permanent. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the goal now was a “lasting end to the war.”

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez struck a more critical note, saying ceasefires are “always good news” — especially if they lead to “a just and lasting peace” — but warned the “momentary relief” cannot erase the “chaos, the destruction, and the lives lost,” adding that Spain “will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement as “much-needed de-escalation,” thanking Pakistan for its mediation and calling for negotiations on an “enduring solution” to continue. | Shireen Broszies/picture alliance via Getty Images

The ceasefire deal, struck after Trump initially warned that an “entire civilization would die” if Iran refused to reach an agreement, hinges on Tehran allowing safe passage through the critical Hormuz shipping route and advancing a 10-point framework presented by its government.

“A big day for World Peace!” Trump announced on Truth Social early Wednesday, promising U.S. support to restore shipping flows and touting a potential “Golden Age of the Middle East.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would halt “defensive operations” and coordinate with its armed forces to partially reopen Hormuz with conditions like tolls and U.S. military rollback, adding Washington had accepted the “general framework” of its plan — a more conditional reading than Trump’s claims of a full reopening.

The European relief follows days of alarm in the continent’s capitals.

Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto warned Tuesday that “madness seems to have gripped the world,” while European Council President António Costa cautioned that strikes on civilian infrastructure could amount to war crimes and that any widening of the conflict would hit civilians hardest.

The ceasefire also lays bare Europe’s limited role. While Pakistan helped broker the deal, EU governments struggled to shape events even as the conflict threatened global energy flows.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte heads to Washington on Wednesday in what is shaping up as a major stress test for the alliance, as Trump’s broader demands continue to rattle Europe.

For now, Europe is watching — and hoping the pause holds.