Italy Proposes 40-Nation European Defense Alliance as U.S. Security Guarantees Waver
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 5
Italy Proposes 40-Nation European Defense Alliance as U.S. Security Guarantees Waver
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 5
Summary
Italy’s defense minister Guido Crosetto urged Europe to build a new military alliance bringing together the EU’s 27 members and 13 non-EU countries, including Britain, Norway, Turkey and Ukraine.
The proposal is meant to answer what Rome sees as two converging risks: growing threats from Russia and a weakening U.S. commitment to Europe’s defense under President Trump.
Crosetto first circulated the idea in an April letter to European counterparts as well as EU and NATO leaders, envisioning a European-led structure alongside the existing U.S.-led NATO system.
Though the plan is seen as unlikely to be adopted soon, it underscores how the Ukraine war and years of military underinvestment are pushing European governments toward a more self-reliant defense posture.