Meloni Criticizes UK-French Peacekeeping Plan for Ukraine

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed skepticism over a UK and French-led initiative to deploy peacekeeping forces in Ukraine in case of a peace agreement with Russia. Meloni suggested that extending NATO's mutual defense without granting full membership could be a more viable solution.

In a significant development, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced her doubts about the effectiveness of a UK and French-backed initiative aimed at sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine if a peace agreement with Russia is reached. Her remarks came as she addressed parliament on Tuesday, emphasizing the potential pitfalls of the plan.

The United Kingdom had previously announced that numerous nations were ready to support the peacekeeping mission. However, Prime Minister Meloni made it clear that Italy would not participate in such an endeavor. Instead, she highlighted the potential of extending NATO's mutual defense protections to Ukraine, stopping short of offering full alliance membership as a more practical approach.

Meloni's stance adds a new layer to the ongoing discussions about Europe's strategic involvement in the Ukraine conflict, as nations weigh the merits and drawbacks of existing proposals aimed at ensuring regional stability.

(With inputs from agencies.)