Italy Calls for a New European Defense Alliance Amid Growing Security Concerns

Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, has urged the European Union’s 27 member states to join a new defence alliance that would also incorporate 13 “like-minded” European nations outside the bloc. The list of non-EU partners includes Britain, Norway, Turkey and Ukraine among others. The alliance is intended to provide a collective security framework that operates alongside the existing NATO system.

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The proposal emerges in the aftermath of the war in Ukraine, which has highlighted gaps in European military spending. At the same time, the United States, under President Donald Trump, has signaled a reduced willingness to guarantee Europe’s security, prompting European leaders to explore greater self-reliance. Crosetto’s outreach reflects a broader trend toward a more proactive European defence posture.

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• Guido Crosetto – Italy’s defence minister and author of the proposal.

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• European Union – All 27 member states are invited to participate.

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• Non-EU partners – Thirteen additional European countries, explicitly named in the proposal as Britain, Norway, Turkey and Ukraine, are slated to join the alliance.

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These actors together would form a coalition of up to 40 nations aimed at safeguarding the continent.

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• April 2026 – Crosetto sends a letter outlining the alliance concept to counterparts across Europe, as well as to EU and NATO leaders.

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• 5 June 2026 – The New York Times publishes an interview in which Crosetto details the plan and its strategic rationale.

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• 27 EU member states invited.

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• 13 additional European nations proposed as partners.

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• Total potential participants: 40 countries.

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• The alliance is framed as a response to perceived threats from Russia and to a perceived decline in U.S. security commitments.

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Crosetto told The New York Times that Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own defence, emphasizing the need for a “continental Europe of defence.” He indicated that the proposal has been shared with EU institutions and NATO officials for consideration, though no formal response has been recorded in the public domain.

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Analysts cited in the article describe the plan as “unlikely to be implemented,” reflecting doubts about the political feasibility of coordinating a 40-nation defence framework outside the established NATO structure. The skepticism underscores concerns about divergent strategic priorities among the prospective members.

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If realised, the alliance would create a European-led security architecture that operates in parallel with NATO, potentially reshaping collective defence on the continent. The proposal’s next steps depend on deliberations within EU bodies and NATO, as well as on the willingness of the identified non-EU partners to commit to the initiative.

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• “We must build a continental Europe of defense,” — Guido Crosetto, Italy’s Defence Minister

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