Italian PM proposes extending NATO's Article 5 security umbrella to Ukraine

[bannork]

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has suggested extending NATO's Article 5 collective security protections to Ukraine without granting the country full membership in the Alliance. 'A just peace requires clear security guarantees," Meloni stated, saying these guarantees must be based on NATO, as it is the only serious means of ensuring security.

Sending unspecified military contingents, whether British or otherwise, would be complex, and possibly the least effective solution. 

Italian PM proposes extending NATO's Article 5 security umbrella to Ukraine

 

[thaibeachlovers]

She should volunteer to lead from the front then, in the event that Italy goes to war to defend one of the most corrupt countries in the west.

[TedG]

This will never happen. 

[MicroB]

14 hours ago, bannork said:

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has suggested extending NATO's Article 5 collective security protections to Ukraine without granting the country full membership in the Alliance. 'A just peace requires clear security guarantees," Meloni stated, saying these guarantees must be based on NATO, as it is the only serious means of ensuring security.

Sending unspecified military contingents, whether British or otherwise, would be complex, and possibly the least effective solution. 

Italian PM proposes extending NATO's Article 5 security umbrella to Ukraine

 

 

Obviously NATO Article 5 cannot be extended to Ukraine without Ukraine becoming a NATO member.

 

So this would be some sort of defence pact. If the assumption is that the UK and France would be putting so-called  boots on the ground, they could only do that with the support of other countries, such as logistics.o

 

Notably no one has talked about UN blue helmets; that might come later. But there might be questions about the legality of lending support to Ukraine, without an accusation of waging war on Russia. This might not change Russia's mind, but it might be important in UN votes. It also might provide legal cover for European countries to provide support in the absence of a UN Security Council Resolutiion. Its important because the supplies will come from the private sector.

 

Notably Meloni is described as a far right nationalist politician.

 

What Article 5 says is

 

"

Quote

 

The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.

 

 

[MicroB]

58 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

She should volunteer to lead from the front then, in the event that Italy goes to war to defend one of the most corrupt countries in the west.

 

You need to consider what Article 5 states, and also the context of her announcement. This was said during the ReArm EU summit; Italy is opposed to using Cohesion Funds to buy weapons and is saying  help can only be provided in the context of NATO it cannot be provided in the context of the EU. You also have to consider that she is strongly EU-skeptical, and likely views a move to allow the EU to spend 800 bn Europs on weapons strengthens the EU< but weakens NATO, which she thinks is a bad idea.

[JimHuaHin]

Great idea.

 

One can only hope.

[nauseus]

Sounds like more fake news. No credible stories to back this claim up.

[bannork]

3 hours ago, nauseus said:

Sounds like more fake news. No credible stories to back this claim up.

Italy's Meloni suggests taking Ukraine under NATO's security umbrella without providing membership

Italian PM supports Ukraine's NATO membership - Euromaidan Press

Meloni Backs Giving Ukraine NATO Security Without Membership - Bloomberg

[MicroB]

1 minute ago, bannork said:

Italy's Meloni suggests taking Ukraine under NATO's security umbrella without providing membership

Italian PM supports Ukraine's NATO membership - Euromaidan Press

Meloni Backs Giving Ukraine NATO Security Without Membership - Bloomberg

 

I think she is proposing extending NATO-like protection to Ukraine, rather than changing the terms of the treaty itself, which will never happen because that needs an Article 12 process, and I'm not sure if there is a unaminlous agreement requirement for such changes. Then there is Article 8, which governs what treaties members can enter into outside of NATO. For instance, the US signed in 2019 a mutual defence pact with Greece. You might think why would Greece and the US need this given there is NATO. It was do with the US having the ability to ship LNG into the Balkans to weaken Russian influence in the region, as well as clear strategic interests in the Bosphorus in lite of what was then a resurgent Russia. Part of the Great Game.

 

If the US chooses to recognise the legal status of the occupied Donbas, they might claim a conflict with the UN Charter 9right of self determination etc). on the basis they would suddenly recognise referenda as being fair and legitimate.

 

Meloni's political positions are significant; she is generally assumed to reflect the thinking of the US President, and is his effective representative in the EU Council of Ministers.