Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Proposes Bringing Ukraine Under NATO’s Security Umbrella Without Full Membership
Italy has proposed bringing Ukraine under NATO’s collective defense—specifically, NATO’s Article 5 security umbrella—without granting it full membership. This proposal aims to provide Ukraine with the same security benefits enjoyed by NATO member states.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni presented this proposal during a meeting of European leaders in Brussels on Thursday. She stated that bringing Ukraine under the protection of NATO’s Article 5 would be more effective than sending European peacekeeping forces to ensure its security.
Meloni said, "This is not like joining NATO membership, but it would bring Ukraine under the security umbrella that NATO members enjoy. It would ensure a stable, long-term, and real security guarantee, which would be more effective than some of the proposals currently on the table."
This proposal comes as part of efforts to strengthen European leaders' support for Ukraine, as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks a swift end to the ongoing war through his administration.
Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had dismissed Ukraine's NATO membership bid, and Trump also rejected the notion, calling it unreasonable.
In her remarks, Meloni expressed skepticism about alternative security arrangements such as sending United Nations peacekeeping forces or additional military forces. She said, "UN peacekeeping missions are a different matter because these missions are sent only when a peace process has already begun."
This is the first time Meloni has publicly supported the expansion of NATO’s security to ensure Ukraine's protection. However, she acknowledged that the proposal’s path is not smooth, especially with opposition from the U.S.
"There is no specific timeline yet, but I am seeing enough interest from our partners in this idea," Meloni said. However, the future of this proposal remains uncertain as discussions are still ongoing.
Ukraine had hoped to gain NATO membership at the Washington summit in July 2024, but this was blocked. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that if membership is delayed, NATO must remain present in Ukraine, proposing the deployment of NATO troops to match Russia's military strength.
According to NATO’s Article 5, an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all member states. Therefore, Meloni’s proposal marks a significant shift in discussions regarding Ukraine’s future security.
