U.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on Wednesday called for an immediate de-escalation of the war in the Middle East, and sharply criticized the U.S. administration’s handling of it.
Speaking to CNBC’s Sara Eisen at the Invest In America Forum in Washington, D.C., Reeves warned of mounting risks to global economic stability caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.K. chancellor lambasted the Trump administration’s handling of the conflict, saying that the aims of the war were “not clear,” and had shifted between regime change, protecting partners in the region, and stopping Tehran’s nuclear program.
“I’m not convinced this conflict has made the world a safer place,” Reeves said. “It’s not been clear over the last six weeks what exactly the aim of this conflict is.”
She said the U.K. still has a “very good relationship” with the U.S., but added: “We don’t always have to agree on everything.”
