Meloni proposes plan to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in form of collective assistance, which does not involve NATO membership, - Bloomberg
European leaders are discussing security guarantees for Kyiv that would oblige Ukraine's allies to decide within 24 hours on providing assistance in the event of a renewed Russian attack.
According to Censor.NET, citing Bloomberg, the author of this proposal is Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
While the "NATO-light" option would fall well short of the military alliance’s collective defense pledge in Article 5 of the NATO charter, it would commit nations that have signed bilateral agreements with Ukraine to confer quickly on a response in case of attack," writes the agency, citing anonymous sources.
According to them, the options for action will include providing Kyiv with rapid and sustained defence support, strengthening the Ukrainian army, economic assistance, and imposing new sanctions against Russia. However, it is still unclear whether the plan envisages the deployment of troops by individual European countries to Ukraine, Bloomberg notes.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Wednesday 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," Crosetto noted.
As a reminder, European military leaders are working on a realistic plan for Ukraine's security guarantees, which will be supported by the United States, and they have ten days to do so.
