Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has proposed a rapid‑response security guarantee for Ukraine that mirrors NATO’s Article 5 but without full membership—an idea that has startled many of Western allies.
Meloni’s NATO‑Light Plan
In a Bloomberg interview, Italian premier Giorgia Meloni suggested extending a NATO‑style collective defense clause to Ukraine. The proposal, revealed at a Brussels summit in March, would require partners with bilateral agreements to consult within 24 hours if Russia launched another attack, but it would not grant Ukraine full NATO membership.
Rapid‑Response Consultation Mechanism
The plan would bind countries that have signed two‑sided pacts with Kyiv to promptly discuss defensive aid, economic support, and sanctions against Russia. Experts question whether the mechanism would also involve sending European troops to Ukraine, a detail that remains unclear.
Kremlin’s Opposition
Russian officials have strongly rejected the notion that the West could provide NATO‑type security without Russia’s involvement. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that any guarantees offered without Moscow’s consent would be meaningless and unacceptable to the Kremlin.
Halted Trilateral Talks
The White House has said it is working to arrange a three‑way meeting between President Vladimir Putin, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and former U.S. President Donald Trump. While Putin publicly stated a willingness to meet, he has since withdrawn, opting instead for expert‑level negotiations and citing Ukraine’s law‑less presidential elections amid the war.
Source: Gazeta,
