European defense not alternative to NATO, says Italy’s foreign minister

“We have seen with favor the decision of the commission’s president [Ursula] von der Leyen toward European defense, which is not an alternative choice to NATO,” Antonio Tajani said at an event on the reconstruction of Ukraine at the headquarters of Lombardy's regional government in Milan.

The objective is “to reinforce the transatlantic alliance, with a European pillar and American one, a guarantee for peace for all,” he added.

Tajani’s comments followed a plan announced by von der Leyen on Tuesday to unlock up to €800 billion ($856 billion) of additional defense spending over the coming years. As part of this plan, the EU would borrow €150 billion, which, in turn, will be lent to the bloc’s governments to fund pan-European equipment in areas, such as drones, missiles, ammunition and air and missile defense.

EU leaders are set to meet on Thursday to hammer out the details of this plan.

​​​​​​​Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has announced a Ukraine aid freeze, and intensified his push for a peace deal with Russia to end the Ukraine war, a development some consider as Washington’s pivot away from Kyiv and its European allies.​​​​​​​

“The West cannot and must not divide and Europe has a very important role to play. To begin with, we Europeans must be united,” he said.

“We need to have a common vision and guarantee security for Ukraine and the entire continent, otherwise all the positive efforts for the reconstruction [of Ukraine] risk being nullified by a new war and we don’t want that to happen ever again.”

Tajani said a “just peace” with Russia cannot be achieved without the involvement of both Ukraine and the EU. He added that Italy wishes negotiations will start soon and that Ukraine and the EU must be part of them.​​​​​​​

“A just peace cannot be Kyiv’s surrender,” he said.