At a briefing, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius says Germany wants all those involved in the Middle East war to prevent “further military escalation”, AFP reports.

“There will be no military participation” from Germany, but Berlin is prepared to support diplomatic efforts to “to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz”, he has said.

“We have a situation which we did not provoke… This war started without any consultations,” Pistorius added.

Germany’s main responsibility is “for the eastern flank and the high north”, he said, and “we stay committed to that, but we can’t be anywhere in the world”.

“What does Donald Trump expect from a handful of European frigates in the Strait of Hormuz that the mighty US Navy cannot manage alone? This is the question I find myself asking,” Pistorius said.