Meloni: “Nato is the cornerstone of defense, consolidate the European pillar”

ROME (ITALPRESS) – “Europe must have the courage to work concretely to consolidate that European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance that has been talked about for a long time and that must be placed alongside the North American pillar in a perspective of strategic complementarity”. This was stated by the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, at Palazzo Chigi, in statements to the press after the meeting with the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson. “NATO remains even more after the entry of Sweden and Finland the cornerstone of our security but it must also have today an approach that is as 360 degrees as possible – added Meloni -. It means 360 degrees from a geographical point of view, for Italy it is very important to pay attention to the Southern flank in addition to the Eastern flank of the Alliance. It means a 360 degree approach also in considering the concept of threat today. Today it is a much broader concept than it was in the past. To do this, we obviously need to spend more but also be able to increase investments”. “The efforts that we are all carrying out together” have the objective of “laying the foundations of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. For us, this objective can only be achieved if Kiev is provided with adequate security guarantees to ensure that what we have seen in these three years does not happen again and that even the European nations that feel most threatened can feel safe”, Meloni underlined. “I have always said and believe that these security guarantees must be implemented in the context of the Atlantic Alliance – added the Prime Minister -. I think that this is the best framework to guarantee a peace that is neither fragile nor temporary and that avoids the risk that Europe could soon fall back into the drama of war. Other solutions seem more complex and frankly less effective”. “I have already said that the choice announced by President Von der Leyen to exclude defense spending from the Stability Pact is a first step. I also think that this first step should be followed by other solutions,” Meloni underlined.

“Security also means border security, fighting irregular immigration, another area in which we have worked very well together with the Swedish Prime Minister. From this point of view, there is a great convergence of views,” the Prime Minister continued. “I would like to thank Ulf once again both for the work we do together to develop innovative solutions at a European level, and for being one of the nations that are supporting the position of the Italian government before the European Court of Justice on the issue of safe countries, also to support the Italy-Albania protocol. The issue of safe countries is crucial not only for Italy and for the protocol with Albania, but simply to be able to carry out a more effective repatriation policy. We are working for a more effective European repatriation policy, so the knot to be untied becomes fundamental.”