Italy’s premier meets NATO head to prepare for next summit, address key issues

NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Wednesday to discuss preparations for July's summit in Washington DC, including ways to further strengthen the alliance, achieve fairer burden-sharing, and provide more support to Ukraine, where Russia launched a "special military operation" in February 2022.

Stoltenberg praised Italy's support to war-torn Ukraine, including its provision of an air defense system with France, NATO said in a statement issued after the meeting.

Italy has signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, helping to enhance Kyiv's defenses, support its armament industry and counter hybrid threats.

The NATO secretary general commended Meloni for Italy's many contributions to the alliance, including its leadership of NATO's battlegroup in Bulgaria and providing forces to battlegroups in Hungary and Latvia. Italy also regularly participates in Baltic Air Policing and NATO maritime operations.

Stoltenberg also thanked Italy for its commitment to NATO's KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and NATO's training mission in Iraq. He welcomed Italy's key role in developing NATO's approach to its southern neighborhood.

During the meeting, Premier Meloni reiterated Rome's expectation that concrete decisions can be adopted in Washington in response to the challenges in the so-called southern flank, "in line with the 360-degree approach to Euro-Atlantic security envisaged by the NATO strategic concept."