Kyiv announced on Wednesday that it is seeking further details from Italy regarding a proposal by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to expand NATO’s mutual defense framework to Ukraine, without granting it full alliance membership or deploying peacekeeping forces.
Ukraine is pursuing security assurances from its Western allies in anticipation of potential peace negotiations to resolve the ongoing Russian invasion. While Ukraine aspires to join NATO, the United States under President Donald Trump has previously dismissed this request.
Additionally, Britain, France, and other nations are formulating plans to send European troops to ensure the security of a possible ceasefire as part of a future peace agreement. Although Russia opposes these initiatives, Trump has expressed a belief that Moscow might acquiesce.
Meloni, who leads a far-right nationalist party in Italy and is an ally of Trump, has consistently voiced strong support for Ukraine.
During an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, she stated that extending NATO’s Article 5 collective security clause would provide a more sustainable solution than deploying European peacekeepers or granting Ukraine full membership.
Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty stipulates that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi welcomed this statement as part of ongoing discussions about long-term security guarantees for Ukraine and overall peace. He noted that Ukraine is in communication with Italian officials to clarify the specifics of the proposal, while reiterating the desire for troop contributions from partners in any peace initiative.
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Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna described Meloni’s suggestion as “very pragmatic” during an interview with Ukrainian television on Friday. Following a significant Russian airstrike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reiterated his earlier call for a truce that would encompass air and sea operations, excluding ground troops, as an initial step toward achieving peace.
