Meloni proposes 'NATO-light' security guarantees for Ukraine
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (photo: Getty Images)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed to European leaders a plan for providing security guarantees to Ukraine in a collective assistance format that does not include NATO membership, Bloomberg reports.
As reported, European leaders are discussing security guarantees for Ukraine that would oblige Kyiv's allies within 24 hours to decide whether to provide the country with military support if it is attacked by Russia again.
According to agency sources, Meloni is promoting a proposal equivalent to collective guarantees in the spirit of NATO, but without actual membership in the Alliance.
The "NATO-light" option falls far short of the Alliance's collective commitments set out in Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. However, it envisions that countries which have concluded bilateral agreements with Ukraine will promptly coordinate their actions in the event of an attack.
Thus, allies would be able to provide Kyiv with rapid and long-term defense support, economic assistance, as well as impose sanctions against Russia. However, it is unclear whether such plans imply the deployment of European troops to Ukraine.
At the same time, as Bloomberg's interlocutors noted, discussions are ongoing and the content of the proposals may change.
Security guarantees for Ukraine
On August 18, a meeting was held at the White House with the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, France, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, as well as the President of the European Commission and the NATO Secretary General. The main topic of discussion was security guarantees for Ukraine.
Allies considered the possibility of security guarantees similar to Article 5 of NATO, but outside the Alliance.
During the negotiations, US President Donald Trump confirmed US participation in these guarantees, but emphasized that the main burden should fall on European partners, and ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine.
At the same time, after the White House meeting, about 10 countries agreed to send troops to Ukraine. The Coalition of the Willing will also send its military planners to the United States for consultations.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after the White House meeting, stated that the details of the guarantees are planned to be agreed within 10 days.
