Italy pushes "NATO-light" security guarantee for Ukraine

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy is pressing European partners to adopt a new security mechanism for Ukraine that would oblige allies to decide within 24 hours whether to provide military support if Russia attacks again.

The proposal, described by diplomats as a “NATO-light” model, is intended to give Kyiv a form of collective defence without formal membership in the alliance, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

According to people familiar with the discussions, it would build on bilateral agreements already signed with Ukraine. It could commit participating countries to swift consultations and coordinated action, from defence aid and economic support to new sanctions against Moscow.

It is unclear whether the plan would involve European troops on Ukrainian soil.

Meloni’s push comes as European leaders look to consolidate momentum after President Donald Trump pledged firmer U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine during a White House meeting Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European counterparts. 

Trump, who recently met President Putin of Russia in Alaska, reassured allies he would back guarantees but ruled out sending American ground forces, while leaving open the possibility of air support.

European officials have since been drafting various models, including one option involving British and French troops as part of a future peace agreement. Meloni’s plan, they said, could draw on the 2024 Rome-Kyiv pact as a template. The Italian government declined to comment.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told La Repubblica 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.”

Meloni has long maintained that Ukraine should receive NATO-style security guarantees without full accession. In March, she argued this would be more sustainable than permanently stationing foreign troops.

Her approach underscores a balancing act: presenting herself as a bridge between Washington and Europe, while keeping Trump engaged and sustaining support for Kyiv. Initially unsettled by Trump’s foreign-policy shifts, her team has worked to improve relations, which have warmed in recent months.

At the White House, Trump praised Meloni’s resilience, saying: “She’s served there for a long period of time relative to others, they don’t last very long, you’ve lasted a long time, you’re gonna be there a long time,” and calling her “a great leader and an inspiration.”

Meloni responded by highlighting the unity behind Ukraine’s resistance. “Something is changing, something has changed, thanks to you, thanks also to the stalling in the battlefield, which was achieved with the bravery of the Ukrainians and with the unity that we all provided to Ukraine,” she said.

“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 dialogue — it’s something we have to build together,” she added.

By Aghakazim Guliyev