At the national level, however, Europe’s message was less unified. In a joint statement, France, Germany and the United Kingdom stressed they “did not participate in these strikes” by the U.S. and Israel, while condemning Iranian counterattacks and urging Tehran to seek to a “negotiated solution.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emulated that balancing act, saying the U.K. had “played no role” in the strikes while condemning Iran’s “abhorrent” regime and saying Washington’s “primary aim” was to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Starmer added that British planes were already in the air as part of coordinated regional defense operations.
Elsewhere in Europe, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the U.S.-Israeli operation as a “unilateral military action” that risks creating a more hostile global order. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, meanwhile, took the opposite line, saying Prague “stands by our allies” and warning that Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its “support for terrorism” pose a threat to Europe.
Nordic and Eastern European leaders took a more security-focused line. Sweden’s prime minister warned of a “serious escalation” and stressed it was in Europe’s interest that Tehran “is never able to develop nuclear weapons,” while also calling for restraint and respect for international law. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw was monitoring the situation closely and preparing for “various scenarios,” adding that Polish citizens — including embassy staff in Tehran — remained secure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aligned more closely with Washington, praising U.S. decisiveness and arguing that “whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken” — a pointed message he said should resonate in Moscow.
Criticism from Washington
The European stance — particularly that of France, Germany and Britain — drew a blistering response from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring the geopolitical tensions now rippling across the Atlantic.