Meloni Suggests NATO-light Mechanism for Ukraine Security
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has proposed a security guarantee plan for Ukraine similar to NATO's collective defense principle, but without the country's actual membership in the alliance.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Bloomberg.
European leaders are working on a new security guarantee mechanism for Ukraine that will allow allies to quickly decide on support in the event of a new Russian offensive.
Joining the initiatives, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is promoting a “NATO-light” option that does not provide for Ukraine’s actual membership in the alliance, but creates a framework for collective assistance. The mechanism obliges signatory countries to quickly discuss their response to an attack — within 24 hours of the incident.
Among the possible forms of support being considered are rapid and sustained defense assistance, economic support, strengthening of the Ukrainian armed forces, and the imposition of sanctions against Russia. It is not yet clear whether the plan envisages the direct military presence of individual European states on Ukrainian territory.
European officials are working on security guarantees for Ukraine, including the possible deployment of French and British troops as part of a peace agreement. The Gaze has already reported that this week the UK will inform Washington of its readiness to send troops to secure Ukrainian airspace and ports, but without participating in frontline combat.
It is unclear how Meloni's proposal fits into this discussion. According to sources, one option for the mechanism would be a bilateral agreement between Rome and Kyiv, signed in 2024, containing mutual security arrangements. However, everything is still at the discussion stage.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told that Meloni’s idea “is that NATO — as a defensive alliance — could ensure the protection of a foreign country like Ukraine. Alternatively, individual nations could commit to doing so. The best mechanism will be chosen eventually. Certainly, with NATO, a superior deterrent would be guaranteed.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was the first to propose providing Ukraine with security guarantees similar to those offered by NATO without actual membership, which came as a surprise to some diplomats.
She believes that this approach would be a more long-term solution than deploying troops on the ground and seeks to act as a “bridge builder” between Kyiv and Washington, balancing support for Zelenskyy and cooperation with Trump.
Commenting on the proposal, Meloni noted the importance of solidarity with Ukraine and the value of joint action in the field of peace and security.
She emphasized: “I’m happy that we will begin from a proposal, which is, let’s say, the Article 5 model, which was Italian at the beginning. We’re always ready to bring our proposals for peace, for dialog — it’s something we have to build together.”
Read more on The Gaze: Trump-Putin Gambit: Scenarios and Stakes for Ukraine