Italy supports idea of security guarantees based on model of NATO's Article 5 – Meloni

This was stated by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during talks at the White House, according to an correspondent from Ukrinform.

“It is an important day, a new face after three years and a half that we didn't see any kind of sign from the Russian side that there was a willing for dialogue. So something is changing, something has changed thanks to you, thanks also to the stalling in the battlefield which was achieved with the bravery of Ukrainians and with the unity that we all provided to Ukraine,” she said.

She emphasized that Italy supports the US president's efforts to achieve peace and remains on Ukraine's side.

“We will talk about many important topics. The first one is security guarantees, how to be sure that it won't happen again which is the precondition of every kind of peace,” she said.

The head of the Italian government expressed support for applying the principle of collective defense, whereby an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all — as enshrined in Article 5 of NATO.

“I'm happy that we will discuss about that, I'm happy that we will begin from a proposal which is the let's say article 5 model which was Italian at the beginning. So we are always ready to bring our proposals for peace, for dialogue, it's something we have to build together to guarantee peace and to defend the security of our nation,” Meloni stressed.

As reported by Ukrinform, an expanded meeting took place at the White House, bringing together the presidents of the United States and Ukraine, along with European leaders who arrived in Washington to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine.

Ukrinform photos are available for purchase here