Italy's Meloni skeptical of ‘reassurance force’ for Ukraine, proposes NATO Article 5 alternative

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed doubts about deploying a "reassurance force" in Ukraine, warning it could provoke Russia, and instead pushed for extending NATO’s Article 5 to Ukraine, she told Financial Times.

"We have to be careful here. It can be seen more as a threat," said the official. 

Instead, she reiterated her support for extending NATO’s Article 5—collective defense—over Ukraine without granting full alliance membership, calling it "easier and more effective" than other plans.

Her comments follow Macron’s announcement at the "coalition of the willing" summit in Paris on Thursday, where he said several nations plan to deploy a "reassurance force" in Ukraine as a security guarantee, to be activated the day after a peace deal is signed.

Meloni first raised her NATO proposal on March 6, arguing that offering Ukraine alliance protection without formal membership would be efficient.

The next day, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said it was seeking clarification on the details of her suggestion.