European allies confront Trump over lack of 'strategy’ in Iran

• Europe's top leaders are turning against the US war policy, citing a total lack of a clear plan.
• Legitimacy concerns grow as leaders like Macron, Meloni argue US strikes violate international law, warning they risk destabilizing the global order.

Since the United States declared war on Iran, the global alliance that once stood behind the US has fractured. A growing group of world leaders are now publicly criticizing US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, claiming the administration has no "exit strategy" and no clear way to win.

European nations, which are facing high energy prices and economic trouble due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, are leading the pushback.

Read more: Oil rises, stocks swing as peace talk hopes wobble

No coherent strategy

Germany: Chancellor Friedrich Merz has become one of the loudest critics. While he originally agreed that Iran should not have nuclear weapons, he now says the US is being "humiliated" by Iranian leaders.

Merz admitted he had "doubts from the very beginning" about the war. This led to a public fight with President Trump, who claimed Merz "doesn't know what he's talking about."

Sweden: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson echoed these feelings Wednesday. Speaking to Swedish Radio News, Kristersson said, "I’m struggling to see any coherent strategy behind this." He questioned how the US expects to reach its goals through bombing alone.

Military Pushback: Spain and the U.K.

Some allies have moved beyond words and went to blocking US military movements:

Spain: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez banned US warplanes from using Spanish airspace or bases for the Iran mission. Despite angry comments from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Spain has refused to back down.

United Kingdom: Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the US he does not believe in "regime change from the skies." He restricted the use of the British base at Diego Garcia, allowing it only for defense, such as shooting down incoming missiles.

Legal and Diplomatic Defiance

France: President Emmanuel Macron warned that the US is acting outside of international law, which "undermines global stability." France has refused to join the attacks, instead sending its own aircraft carrier to protect European interests separately from the US fleet.

Italy: Defense Minister Guido Crosetto called the American strikes "inconsistent with international law." Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is now working with Arab nations in the Gulf to find a diplomatic way out of the war, refusing to let the Italian military join the US offensive.

As the "frozen conflict" continues, the Trump administration finds itself gradually alone. America’s oldest allies are asking a simpler question: What is the plan for peace?