Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stated that Ukraine should be provided with NATO security, though not necessarily in the form of full membership in the alliance.
According to Bloomberg, during a meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels, Meloni suggested considering more permanent solutions rather than deploying European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine.
Her proposal involves extending the provisions of NATO’s Article 5, the mutual defense clause, to Ukraine. In Meloni’s view, such a solution would be more effective.
This initiative comes as European leaders seek ways to support Kyiv, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to bring the three-year war to a swift end. Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
This is the first time Meloni has so clearly supported this idea. Although the Italian prime minister is seen as a potential mediator between Europe and Trump, it is unlikely that her proposal will gain support from the United States.
“It is something different from joining NATO, but it involves extending the scope that NATO countries have, also to Ukraine,” Meloni said.