Italy has proposed the creation of a continental defence alliance involving Ukraine
The future architecture of European security should encompass not only the Member States of the European Union, but also a wider circle of partners. This view was expressed by the Italian Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto, in an interview with the newspaper *La Stampa*.
According to the minister, the long-term solution should be to strengthen defence cooperation on a continental scale. He proposed that, in addition to EU countries, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Moldova, the Western Balkan states, Turkey and Ukraine should be included in such a partnership.
Guido Crozetto emphasised that European governments can no longer rely on planning the development of defence capabilities with a ten- or fifteen-year horizon, as the security situation is changing much more rapidly.
The Italian Defence Minister also stated that Europe must take into account indications of a possible gradual reduction in the United States’ military presence on the continent due to Washington’s reorientation towards the Indo-Pacific region.
He noted that his position is based on a strategic document from the Italian Ministry of Defence, which sets out the country’s defence policy priorities for the 2027–2029 budget cycle.
The document envisages the development of satellite communications as one of the key areas, the strengthening of the protection of critical underwater infrastructure, and also devotes considerable attention to cyber security and countering disinformation.
Crosetto also called for the creation of a national and European centre to counter hybrid warfare. According to him, such a structure should ensure a more effective exchange of information and tools between allies to counter cyberattacks, propaganda, information manipulation and other hybrid threats.
