Italy pushes 40-nation European defense bloc beyond EU and NATO
Why it matters: The proposal reflects growing alarm over Russia and doubts about whether the US will keep guaranteeing Europe’s security.
Italy is urging European countries to build a new continent-wide defense alliance that would extend beyond both the European Union and NATO. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto proposed bringing together the EU’s 27 members with 13 other European partners, including Britain, Norway, Turkey and Ukraine, arguing that Europe’s security can no longer be handled only inside the bloc. Crosetto sent the plan to counterparts, EU officials and NATO leaders in April. The idea is unlikely to be adopted soon, but it underscores a broader push by European governments to rearm and organize more independently as Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on and President Donald Trump presses Europe to take more responsibility for its own defense.