Current positions and initiatives
https://italy.refugee.info/en-us/articles/32610340720157
In
2026, Italy has significantly advanced its bilateral ties with its neighbors,
shifting from a historically reactive foreign policy to an assertive, highly
integrated regional strategy.
Driven
by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration, Italy is using formal action
plans, economic corridors, and cross-border security pacts to position itself
as a central, stabilization powerhouse in both European politics and the
broader Mediterranean neighborhood.
France: Rekindled
Alliance through the Quirinal Treaty
Following
years of sporadic diplomatic tension, Rome and Paris have solidified a closer
partnership.
·
36th Franco-Italian Summit: On June 25, 2026, Meloni and French
President Emmanuel Macron held the landmark 36th intergovernmental summit in
France.
·
The Quirinal Treaty: Building on the framework of the Quirinal
Treaty, the two nations signed comprehensive joint declarations enhancing
security, industrial synergy, and a shared approach to cross-border
connectivity.
·
Industrial and Business Synergies: The concurrent Italy-France Business Forum
brought major corporate entities together to integrate manufacturing and supply
chains between the two heavyweights.
Germany: A New Era under Chancellor Merz
The
year 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the re-establishment
of diplomatic relations between Rome
and Berlin, which has transformed into a highly coordinated European axis.
·
The Rome Accord: In January 2026, German Federal
Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Meloni signed a historic Agreement on Enhanced
Cooperation on Security, Defence, and Resilience, alongside a comprehensive
German-Italian Action Plan.
·
The "Italian-German Motor": Rather than just contributing to EU defense
individually, the two countries are actively co-shaping the European defense
pillar and uniting on strict directives regarding Euro-competitiveness and
joint energy networks.
·
Shared Geopolitics: Italy and Germany have acted in lockstep on
critical EU votes, notably collaborating to block efforts by other EU members
to suspend association agreements with Israel.
The Adriatic and Western
Balkans Neighborhood
Italy
has deepened its commitments to its immediate eastern neighbors—Slovenia and
Croatia—championing its role as the primary bridge to the Western Balkans.
·
The "Friends of the Western
Balkans": In July 2026,
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani chaired the "Friends of the
Western Balkans" ministerial meeting. Italy, Austria, Croatia, and
Slovenia formed a unified coalition to fiercely push back against restrictive,
Franco-German-proposed safeguards regarding EU accession, speeding up
integration timelines for neighboring Balkan states.
·
Economic Zones: The final ratification procedures for the Exclusive
Economic Zones (EEZ) delimitation agreement between Italy and Croatia were
pushed through, resolving long-standing maritime boundaries.
Switzerland:
Rapprochement and Cross-Border Coordination
Diplomatic
ties with Bern have reached a new high point. Grounded in active dialogue
between the respective foreign ministries, the neighboring nations have
leveraged the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics to vastly improve
regional economic cooperation and solve historical disputes surrounding the
taxation frameworks of cross-border workers.
The "Southern
Neighborhood" (North Africa & the Mattei Plan)
Italy
looks to its maritime neighbors across the Mediterranean as critical components
of its Mattei Plan for Africa (See below)
·
The Second Italy-Africa Summit: Hosted in February 2026, Rome cemented its intent to centralize
EU-Africa dialogues around energy and development.
·
Libya & Tunisia: At the Italy-Libya summit in Tripoli, Italy
formally handed over high-speed patrol cutters and border management assets to
the Libyan Coast Guard. Italy remains deeply engaged with its North African
maritime neighbors to enforce strict migration control, counterterror
operations, and secure vital gas infrastructure.
The basis for Italy’s international stance since the end
of WWII
Articolo 11 della Costituzione Italiana
L'Italia ripudia la guerra come strumento
di offesa alla libertà degli altri popoli e come mezzo di risoluzione delle
controversie internazionali; consente, in condizioni di parità con gli altri
Stati, alle limitazioni di sovranità necessarie ad un ordinamento che assicuri
la pace e la giustizia fra le Nazioni; promuove e favorisce le organizzazioni
internazionali rivolte a tale scopo.
https://www.senato.it/1025?sezione=118&articolo_numero_articolo=11
Article 11 of the Constitution of
Italy says:
Italy rejects war as an instrument of aggression against the
freedom of other peoples and as a means for the settlement of international
disputes. Italy agrees, on conditions of equality with other States, to the
limitations of sovereignty that may be necessary to a world order ensuring
peace and justice among the Nations. Italy promotes and encourages
international organisations having such ends.
So
Italy is committed to working with other states to avoid conflict, deal with
challenges and resolve disputes within the framework of a rules-based
international order in line with international law and the norms of
international cooperation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Federalist_Movement
Some general
background
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Italy
The division of Italian diplomatic history
since the foundation of the Republic into 3 main phases.
Italy is considered to be both a major regional power and
a middle power with membership in prominent institutions or groups
such as the UN, the EU, NATO, the OECD, the OSCE, the DAC, the WTO, G6, G7, G8, G10, G20, the Union for the Mediterranean, the Latin Union, the Council of Europe, the Central European Initiative, the ASEM (Asia-Europe
Meeting) and the Uniting for
Consensus group (nicknamed the Coffee Club) at the UN. Italy currently maintains the world's 12th-largest
nominal defense budget in 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest_military_expenditures
is the10th strongest for
firepower
2026 https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing.php
https://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.php?country_id=italy
and is a participant in the NATO nuclear sharing policy.
Since its entrance in the United Nations Organization in 1955,
Italy has assured its utmost support to the decision to
foster multilateralism, which represents one of the fundamental
cornerstones of our foreign policy.
https://www.esteri.it/en/temi/organizzazioni_internazionali/onu/italia_nazioni_unite_pace_sicurezza/
Italy is also a recurrent non-permanent
member of the UN Security
Council, as mentioned above, most
recently in 2017 by virtue of its election on
28 June 2016 and in compliance with the Hague Convention providing for the
division of the 2017-2018 two-year mandate with the Netherlands.
https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2017/01/italyontheunsecuritycouncil-compressed.pdf
Italy was a founding member of the European Community, now the European Union (EU), and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Italy was
admitted to the United Nations in 1955, and it is a member and strong supporter
of a wide number of international organizations, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the General
Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade/World Trade Organization (GATT/WTO), the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe, and the Central European Initiative. Its recent or upcoming turns in the rotating
presidency of international organizations include the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe in 2018,
the G7 in 2017 and the from
July to December 2014. On 1 January 2019, Italy took over the rotating
Presidency of the Central European Initiative (CEI).
Italy's
next rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union is scheduled for January–June
2028. Italy's last six-month turn holding the EU Council Presidency took
place in July–December 2014 under Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, operating
under the program "Europe: A Fresh Start” https://parlament.mt/media/89936/86.pdf
Italy’s
role in the world, some examples:
Italy on the UN Security Council in 2017
https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2017/01/italyontheunsecuritycouncil-compressed.pdf
Italy’s Presidency of the G20, 2021, and the G20 ROME
LEADERS’ DECLARATION
Italy’s Presidency of the G7 in 2024
https://www.dt.mef.gov.it/en/tema_del_mese/tema_mese0035.html
Italy’s participation in the COP conferences
COP26
https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/g20-e-cop26-il-ruolo-dellitalia-32349
COP27
Meloni’s speech in Italian: https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/intervento-del-presidente-meloni-al-vertice-dei-capi-di-stato-e-di-governo-cop27/20927
Meloni’s speech in English: https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-s-speech-cop27-world-leaders-summit/20951
COP28 https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-cop28-summit/24458
https://asvis.it/editoriali/1288-19130/i-prossimi-passi-per-litalia-dopo-le-decisioni-della-cop-28
Meloni’s speech in Italian: https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/cop28-l-intervento-del-presidente-meloni-alla-sessione-plenaria-high-level-segment-heads
Meloni’s speech in English https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-melonis-speech-cop28-high-level-segment-heads-state-and-government/24479
COP29 https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/cop29-high-level-segment-heads-states-and-government/27040
Meloni’s speech in Italian https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-s-speech-29th-conference-parties-un-framework-convention-climate-change
for translation practice
Meloni’s speech in
English: https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-melonis-speech-cop28-high-level-segment-heads-state-and-government/24479
https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/cop29-high-level-segment-heads-states-and-government/27040
https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/clima-europa-accordo-al-ribasso-222768
COP29 https://youngdip.blogspot.com/2024/11/cop29.html
COP28 https://youngdip.blogspot.com/2023/12/cop-28.html
COP30 https://www.mase.gov.it/portale/cambiamento-climatico-cop30
Italy and UN Security Council
Reform
https://italyun.esteri.it/en/italy-and-the-united-nations/uniting-for-consensus-ufc/
https://onuitalia.com/2023/09/05/unsc-reform-italy-in-favor-of-restraining-veto-power/
President Meloni’s speech
at the ‘Per un’Europa giovane. Transizione demografica, ambiente, futuro’
meeting:
2026
La visione di Giorgia Meloni per il futuro dell'Unione Europea nel 2026 punta a
trasformare l'UE da semplice piattaforma commerciale a un attore geopolitico
forte e strategico.
Durante
il vertice FII PRIORITY Europe 2026 tenutosi a Roma a giugno 2026, la
Presidente del Consiglio ha delineato i punti chiave per il futuro europeo:
Autonomia strategica:
L'Europa deve sviluppare capacità industriale, sovranità tecnologica e potere
finanziario.
Sussidiarietà: L'UE deve
concentrarsi solo sulle grandi questioni strategiche, lasciando agli Stati
nazionali maggiore autonomia dove possono essere più efficaci.
Cooperazione con il Golfo:
Rafforzare le sinergie tra Europa e paesi del Golfo per connettere Africa, Asia
ed Occidente, con l'Italia nel ruolo di hub energetico e logistico del
Mediterraneo.
Pragmatismo sui confini:
Richiesta di un'azione concreta e rapida sulla gestione dei flussi migratori e
sulle politiche di rimpatrio.
The Italian Strategy
in the Mediterranean
Italy
positions itself as a central bridge in the Mediterranean by combining energy
diplomacy, migration management, and an "enlarged Mediterranean"
strategy that links Europe to Africa and the Indo-Pacific.
The
"Global Mediterranean" and Strategic Vision
Prime
Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government promotes the concept of a "Global
Mediterranean", projecting Italian influence past traditional regional
boundaries:
- The Indo-Pacific Connection: Rome views the
Indo-Pacific as an extension of its broader maritime space, pursuing
high-level diplomatic and defense ties with nations like Japan and South
Korea.
- Diplomatic Pragmatism: Italy acts as a mediator
between Washington and Brussels, navigating growing tensions around
critical maritime choke points like the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.
Energy
Security and the Mattei Plan
Energy
policy in 2026 centers on transitioning from short-term crisis management to
sustainable long-term infrastructure:
- The Mattei Plan: Italy's flagship project in Africa
seeks equal partnerships focused on joint development and resource
sharing.
- SoutH2 Corridor: Discussions emphasize green
hydrogen pipelines running from North Africa through Italy into Central
Europe (Austria and Germany), establishing Italy as a primary clean-energy
transit hub.
Security
and the "Arc of Crises"
Intelligence
and defense assessments highlight severe regional vulnerabilities:
- Interconnected Instability: Italian intelligence
warns of an expanding "arc of crises" where instability in the
Sahel, conflict in the Middle East, and tensions involving Iran directly
threaten Mediterranean security.
- Maritime Disruptions: Threats to shipping lanes and
offshore gas fields in the Eastern Mediterranean pose direct risks to
Italy's trade-dependent economy, prompting deeper domestic cooperation
between defense policymakers and industrial leaders as discussed at recent
forums.
Some background
https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2017/12/rapporto-med-maeci-ita.pdf
https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2017/11/rapporto-med-maeci-2017-eng.pdf
https://www.esteri.it/it/uapsds/collaborazione-maeci-ispi-per-med/
https://www.itssverona.it/italys-approach-to-the-mediterranean-crisis-focus-on-libya-and-syria
https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/rethinking-italys-enlarged-mediterranean-176932
Artificial
Intelligence
Italy is
advancing its artificial intelligence landscape in 2026 through active national
strategies, new business regulations, and major research initiatives like the National Conference on Artificial Intelligence - Ital-IA 2026.
Strategic
Plan and Investments
2024–2026
Strategy: The government's multi-year blueprint focuses on boosting local AI
applications, supporting foundational research, and improving public
administration.
Business
Adoption: Over 90% of Italian managers planned to increase their AI investments
through 2026 to stay competitive in Europe.
International
Ties: Italy and Canada continue joint AI collaborations via their Joint
Advisory Group, focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
New
Regulations and Workplace Laws
Employment
Protections: Recent Italian decrees ban worker dismissals based solely on
automated, machine-made analytical decisions.
Documentation
Burden: Companies using operational AI tools must thoroughly document
performance assessments and review processes to defend against potential legal
disputes.
EU AI Act
Alignment: Italy is rolling out implementing decrees through late 2026 to
assign enforcement powers and update civil court procedures for AI-related
claims.
Some background
https://www.twobirds.com/en/insights/2025/italian-rules-on-ai-as-a-supplement-to-the-ai-act
https://assets.innovazione.gov.it/1637937177-programma-strategico-iaweb-2.pdf
https://assets.innovazione.gov.it/1637777513-strategic-program-aiweb.pdf
https://www.ictsecuritymagazine.com/notizie/intelligenza-artificiale-e-sicurezza-nazionale/
The Regional Plan for the Adriatic-Balkans area
Read the Italian
strategy document from 2023 https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Piano-Regione-Adriatico-Balcanica_DEF_ridotto.pdf
Italy leads
the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)
presidency from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, focusing on Western Balkans
integration, infrastructure links, and the blue economy.
Core
Priorities of Italy's 2026–2027 Presidency
- EU Enlargement: Speeding up Western Balkan
integration using frameworks like the proposed "Rome Charter".
- Transport Networks:
Developing Corridor VIII as a dual-use Adriatic-Black Sea
logistics and security corridor.
- Connectivity Hubs: Positioning Trieste and the Upper Adriatic as key gateways
connecting Central Europe, the Balkans, and Mediterranean trade.
- Cohesion & Growth:
Coordinating through the Department for Cohesion Policies and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs to boost regional funds and maritime cooperation
https://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/launching-event-of-the-italian-presidency-of-eusair-2026-2027/
Italian
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has declared 2026 a "decisive year"
for the Adriatic-Balkans strategy. As Italy assumed the chair of the EU
Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), Tajani has spearheaded a
diplomatic push to establish the Adriatic-Ionian region as a dynamic
logistical, economic, and energy hub.
The core
framework and priority updates for the region outline a comprehensive strategy:
The
"Charter of Rome" and EU Accession
In July
2026, Tajani hosted a high-level ministerial summit for the "Friends of
the Western Balkans" group at Villa Madama, where member states formally
approved the "Charter of Rome".
- Prioritizing Reunification:
Tajani has continuously emphasized that the "reunification of the
Balkans with Europe" is Italy’s primary geopolitical and strategic
investment.
- Accession Timeline: He
firmly pushed for the Western Balkans' EU integration to take priority
over other candidates like Ukraine, explicitly rejecting the concept of
"first- and second-tier" EU candidate statuses.
Infrastructure
and Major Trans-European Corridors
Due to
shifting trade routes accelerated by ongoing maritime and geopolitical crises
in the Gulf, Tajani has underscored the Northern Adriatic as a gateway to
Central Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Key transport initiatives backed by Italy
include:
- Corridor VIII: Massive investments to develop
this corridor linking the Adriatic Sea directly to the Black Sea.
- Corridor X and High-Speed Rail:
Infrastructure enhancements prioritizing the development of the
Trieste–Zagreb–Ljubljana–Belgrade railway line.
- Synergy with IMEC: Aligning Adriatic logistical
networks with the global India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
to bypass volatile transit zones.
Security,
Migration, and Supply Chains
Beyond
trade, the 2026 update centers heavily on stabilizing regional vulnerabilities:
- Common Strategies: Under Italy's guidance,
Adriatic-Balkan leaders are forming a united front on raw materials supply
chains to counter market dominance by China.
- Security & Border Control: Italy
continues its frontline support via NATO missions and EU operations to
control illegal migration routes across the Adriatic and Western Balkan
borders
The Africa/EU
Partnership and Mattei Plan
Italy
anchors its strategy within the Africa/EU Partnership through the Mattei Plan
for Africa, aligning national development diplomacy with the European Union's
broader Global Gateway initiative. The European Union's Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to€300
billion by 2027 to invest in smart, clean, and secure infrastructure projects
worldwide.
https://commission.europa.eu/topics/international-partnerships/global-gateway_en
The European Union's Global Gateway strategy aims to mobilize half of this sum, up
to €150 billion, in investments for Africa by 2027 through the Africa-Europe
Investment Package.
Core
Framework and Goals
- Partnership of Equals: Prime
Minister Giorgia Meloni has positioned Italy as Europe's bridge to Africa,
promoting growth based on local resources, investment, and mutual respect
rather than charity.
- Financial Commitments: Rome
and Brussels coordinate efforts, having unveiled joint packages worth €1.2
billion to target sectors like energy, agriculture, and infrastructure
across selected African nations.
- Strategic Alignment: The
Italian The Mattei Plan for Africa: From Aid to Partnership?
framework works alongside the European Commission and Italy cooperation
models to offer a transparent alternative to other global investors.
https://www.iai.it/en/publications/c41/mattei-plan-africa-aid-partnership
The Mattei
Plan for Africa thus represents a strategic pivot from traditional aid to a
centralized, co-investment partnership model.
- From Aid to Co-Investment: The
initiative moves away from traditional donor-recipient dynamics. It
leverages public funds to de-risk private investments, positioning African
nations as equal business partners.
- Financial Scale: The plan operates with an initial
financial endowment of €5.5 billion. This includes €3 billion from the
Italian Climate Fund and €2.5 billion via instruments from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
- Key Sectors: Focus areas include agriculture,
health, water, energy, infrastructure, and education.
Scope and
Expansion
- Geographic Reach: Initially launched with a pilot
group of 9 countries, the plan expanded to 14 nations and reached 18
African countries by 2026 (including recent additions like Gabon, Rwanda,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia).
- Multilateral Synergies: Italy
coordinates the framework with strategic financial partners like the African Development Bank Group and aligns
with European Union strategies such as Global Gateway.
- Recent Deliveries: Implementation milestones include
major infrastructure agreements, such as a September 2026 deal in Kenya to
construct 15 specialized referral hospitals via a partnership with the
GKSD Group.
Strategic
Recommendations and Challenges
- Long-Term Roadmap: Analysts (such as those via the Istituto Affari Internazionali) emphasize
that success requires extending beyond short-term political cycles into a
structured 10-year roadmap.
- Transparency and Monitoring:
Experts advocate for clear digital tracking tools to measure the direct
social and economic impact of decentralized investments.
- Inclusive Access: Ensuring that financial
de-risking tools support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), rather
than exclusively favoring industrial giants, remains vital for broad
economic transformation.
Some background
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/africa-eu-partnership_it?etrans=it
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/africa-eu-partnership_en
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/54412/final_declaration-en.pdf
The Mattei
Plan
https://www.info-cooperazione.it/2025/07/cosa-dice-il-secondo-stato-di-avanzamento-del-piano-mattei/
https://www.esteri.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ISPI_FPC-Piano-Mattei.pdf
https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/meloni-mattei-africa-policy-immigration/
NATO, the EU and other defence
partners
Italy cooperates with NATO, EU and other allies in
supporting Ukraine and dealing with Russian activities in the Baltic and elsewhere,
but at the same time calls for NATO and the EU to maintain equal focus on
threats within the wider Mediterranean region.
Italy attended the July 2026 NATO summit in Ankara presenting a defense and
security spending level of 2.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP), reflecting
a 0.71 percentage point increase from the previous year.
Defense Spending and Strategy
Sustainable Outlays: Prime
Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized that Italy intends to meet alliance
commitments on its own timetable and terms, balancing strategic resilience with
economic sustainability.
Broader Definition: The 2.8%
figure incorporates a wider concept of national security, seeking to keep
defense investments localized within Italian research, factories, and
technology.
American Pressures: Italy
navigated heightened U.S. and allied rearmament demands, balancing European
burden-sharing discussions with domestic fiscal realities.
Operational Milestones
Allied Reaction Force: Italy
led NATO’s major mission rehearsal, Steadfast Dart 2026, in northern
Germany through the deployment of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy
(NRDC-ITA).
Central Mediterranean: From
June to July 2026, Italy joined the U.S. and regional allies in testing
multi-domain situational awareness and digital interoperability under Task Force X.
https://www.act.nato.int/activities/task-force-x-centmed/
Overseas Commitments: Italy’s
Joint Operations Commander reported active participation in roughly 40 overseas
missions involving 7,500 personnel, alongside continued leadership in regional
stabilization frameworks like KFOR.
NATO and EU Operations in the Mediterranean
Current NATO and EU Mediterranean operations in 2026 feature prominent
maritime security, embargo enforcement, and enhanced vigilance activities like Operation Sea Guardian and EUNAVFOR MED IRINI.
- Operation Sea
Guardian (OSG): Ongoing as
the successor to Operation Active Endeavour, OSG conducts five to six
focused operations yearly focusing on counter-terrorism, maritime
situational awareness, and capacity-building. Iterations in 2026 included
focused deployments in the Eastern Mediterranean led by allied flagships
and air-sub surface assets.
- Neptune
Strike 2026: Acting as
premier enhanced Vigilance Activities (eVA) led by STRIKFORNATO, multiple
iterations (such as March-April 2026) combined carrier strike groups from
Italy, France, and Spain across the Central and Western Mediterranean.
- Standing NATO
Maritime Groups & Countermeasures: Units like SNMCMG2 maintain a continuous operational presence
executing mine countermeasures and multinational training.
EU Operations in the Mediterranean
- Operation
IRINI (EUNAVFOR MED): Tasked
primarily with implementing the UN arms embargo on Libya, IRINI conducts
regular air and naval monitoring, inspection recommendations, and
port/flight verifications. In June 2026, it successfully wrapped up Focused
Operations NEREUS 2026 spanning the Central Mediterranean and Aegean
Sea to boost interoperability.
Joint Coordination
- SHADE MED: Cooperation between EUNAVFOR MED and NATO
MARCOM persists via the Shared Awareness and De-confliction in the
Mediterranean mechanism, aligning joint security approaches and
infrastructure protections
The
traditional idea of the 3 main circles or spheres in which Italian diplomacy
operates and some general considerations and criticism:
The analytical framework of
the "Three Circles" (I Tre Cerchi) is a foundational paradigm
used by many political scientists and diplomats to describe the geographical
and institutional spheres of Italian Foreign Policy. Italian scholars and
statesmen (most notably Carlo Maria Santoro in 1991) formalized this concept to
describe how Italy balances its national interests, security, and search for
international status.
The Three Main Circles
1. The Atlantic Circle
(Atlanticism)
·
Core Entity: NATO and the United States.
·
Definition: This is the bedrock of
Italy's hard security framework, established following World War II.
·
Dynamic: Italy acts as a highly
reliable, stable loyalist to Washington. This alignment provides Rome with a
seat at the table of global superpowers and underwrites its defense guarantees.
2. The European Circle
(Europeanism)
·
Core Entity: The European Union (and historically the EEC).
·
Definition: Italy is a founding member
of the European integration project.
·
Dynamic: This circle governs
Italy's economic identity, regulatory frameworks, and monetary policy (the
Eurozone). Within Europe, Italy traditionally seeks to position itself
alongside France and Germany as part of the core decision-making trio,
leveraging European solidarity for domestic economic stability.
3. The Mediterranean Circle
(Mediterraneanism)
·
Core Entity: The "Enlarged Mediterranean" (including North Africa, the
Sahel, the Middle East, and the Western Balkans).
·
Definition: This represents Italy's
natural geographic sphere of direct geopolitical influence, energy security,
and migration management.
·
Dynamic: It is the sphere where
Italy has historically enjoyed the most strategic autonomy. Rome uses
its unique geographical position to act as a diplomatic bridge between Europe
and the Arab world/African continent.
General Considerations: The
Pendulum Dynamic
The dominant consensus
among analysts is that Italian foreign policy operates like a pendulum swinging
between the Atlantic and European circles, using the Mediterranean circle to
express its unique national initiatives.
·
Stability through Change: Despite frequent changes in internal Italian governments, the commitments
to the Three Circles remain remarkably bipartisan and stable.
·
Recent Applications: Even under right-wing nationalist governance—such as Giorgia Meloni’s
administration—the model holds true: Rome explicitly doubled down on
Atlanticism regarding the war in Ukraine, maintained a pragmatic stance on
Europeanism, and expanded the Mediterranean circle through Africa-centric
initiatives like the Mattei Plan.
Common Criticisms of the
Framework
While highly descriptive,
the Three Circles approach faces several major criticisms from contemporary
geopolitical strategists:
·
The Hierarchy of Subordination: Critics point out that the circles are not equal. The Atlantic circle
almost always overrides the others. When the US demands action that clashes
with Italian Mediterranean trade or energy interests (e.g., historical
sanctions on Russia or Libya, or naval operations in the Indo-Pacific), Rome
almost always yields to Washington, exposing its limited strategic autonomy.
·
Resource Shortages and "Punching Below Weight": Italy has frequently been criticized
for lacking the financial, military, and diplomatic resources to adequately
manage all three circles simultaneously. This often results in a
"reactive" foreign policy rather than a proactive one.
·
Overcrowding in the Mediterranean: The assumption that the Mediterranean can still be Italy's exclusive
"backyard" is outdated. Italy frequently finds its influence
overshadowed by France, or encroached upon by aggressive non-Western actors
like Turkey, Russia, and China in North Africa and the Western Balkans.
·
The wrong focus? As global geopolitics shift to a US-China bipolarity centered on the
Indo-Pacific, the Euro-centric "Three Circles" model risks making
Italian diplomacy too parochial. Rome is increasingly pressured by allies to
project power into regions well outside its traditional three spheres.
https://www.ispionline.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Report-IMEC-2026_ISPI.pdf
Italy treats the wider
Mediterranean as an "arc of crises" in 2026, positioning itself as a central strategic anchor for NATO and the
European Union amid escalating global and regional instability.
Core Security Threats
·
Geopolitical Tensions: Italian intelligence reports highlight cascading risks from Middle Eastern
escalations, the war in Ukraine, and competing great-power footprints by Russia
and Turkey.
·
Energy and Trade Disruptions: Rome closely monitors Red Sea and Suez Canal security, joining naval
efforts like Operation Aspides to protect vital maritime energy corridors and
trade routes.
·
Migration and Border Control: Managing irregular migration flows from North Africa remains a top
national security priority, leading to stricter domestic border policies and
external processing frameworks.
Strategic and Multilateral
Responses
·
NATO Collaboration: The Italian-led Task Force X–Central Mediterranean initiative integrates
advanced surveillance, uncrewed maritime systems, and intelligence-sharing to
fortify NATO's southern flank.
·
Diplomatic Leadership: Italy continues to steer regional frameworks through the MED9 group and
preparations for multilateral forums like the MED – Mediterranean Dialogues in late 2026. [
·
Energy Diversification: Rome leverages its geographic position as a crucial Mediterranean transit
hub for alternative gas supplies bridging North Africa, the Levant, and Europe.
background
Italy strongly supports multilateral
international policies, endorsing the United Nations and its international security activities
Italy and Peacekeeping https://www.esteri.it/it/politica-estera-e-cooperazione-allo-sviluppo/organizzazioni_internazionali/onu/onu_ruolo_italia_nel_peacekeeping/
In 2026, Italy is running about 40
overseas missions with 7,500 military staff, staying a major leader in global
peace work according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Key 2026 Commitments
·
Personnel: Italy has about 7,500 troops deployed
across active global zones.
·
Lebanon Plan: France and Italy plan to launch a new
multinational group to support Lebanon after UN peace terms end on December 31,
2026.
·
Top Contributor: Italy remains the leading Western
nation for UN Blue Helmet troops. Core Goals
·
Stability: Protect local safety and build up
regional peace.
·
Support: Help local armies grow stronger and
keep their borders secure
Italy’s participation in major
Peacekeeping and International Missions
https://www.difesa.it/operazionimilitari/index.html
·
UNIFIL (Lebanon): Italy is a leading troop contributor to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, helping monitor
hostilities in southern Lebanon. Italy and France are also planning a
multinational framework to support stability in the region.
NATO and Deployments to Eastern
Europe and the Balkans (NATO’s Flank). Italy contributes forces across 16 geographic areas, including
enhanced Vigilance Activities (e-VA) on NATO's eastern flank and deployments in
the Balkans (such as Kosovo Force/KFOR - see below) Commitments include:
Latvia: Mechanized
infantry company deployment (5th Alpini Regiment) as part of the NATO Enhanced
Forward Presence.
Estonia
& Romania: Baltic Air Policing (Eurofighter Typhoons) and Task
Force Air Black Storm air-policing missions.
Bosnia and
Herzegovina / Kosovo: Peacekeeping and reserve troop reinforcements via EUFOR
and NATO operations. Kosovo (KFOR): L'Italia detiene un ruolo guida e di
comando nella missione NATO, con centinaia di uomini tra cui il reggimento MSU
dei Carabinieri
Altre
presenze minori di supporto e formazione di polizia si trovano in
Bosnia-Erzegovina e Albania.
·
The Mediterranean and the Middle
East: Participation in maritime security operations like
the European Union naval
mission (Operation Aspides) in the Red Sea
https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eunavfor-aspides_en?s=410381
Operation EMASoH (European-led Maritime Awareness in the
Strait of Hormuz) with the deployment of naval units and the pre-positioning of
mine-countermeasure assets for the protection of commercial shipping routes.
Operazione Mediterraneo Sicuro e la
missione europea EUNAVFORMED Irini per la sorveglianza marittima, il
contrasto al traffico di esseri umani e la sicurezza energetica.
Iraq e
Kuwait: Operazione Prima Parthica e la missione NATO in
Iraq (NMI), con centinaia di soldati e assetti aerei dislocati nelle basi
locali (come ad Al Salem in Kuwait e a Erbil).
·
The Gulf and Arabian Peninsula
(Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain): Task Force
Air – Arabia and land units comprising around 400–700 personnel supporting
regional airspace surveillance and counter-UAS defense
·
Other UN Missions:
Smaller deployments of
military observers and experts, such as UNMOGIP (India and Pakistan) and
missions in parts of Africa and the Middle East.
·
Regional
Air Defense: Planned deployment of a SAMP/T air and missile defense battery to Turkey in
coordination with NATO commitments.
·
Africa e Sahel:
Libya /
Rome Hub: Operational headquarters for the European Union's EUNAVFOR
MED IRINI mission enforcing the UN arms embargo.
Libia
(MIASIT): Missione bilaterale di assistenza e supporto
tecnico-sanitario.
Niger
(MISIN) e Somalia (EUTM Somalia): Attività di
addestramento e cooperazione per la sicurezza e la stabilizzazione locale.
Nuovi
impegni 2026: Il piano ha introdotto o rafforzato specifiche
iniziative di cooperazione e presidio in Tunisia (con la Guardia di
Finanza) e nel Corno d'Africa.
·
Sub-Saharan Africa
Niger &
Sahel Region: Rotational and legacy
counter-terrorism/capacity-building footprints totaling several hundred
personnel. [1]
·
The Indo-Pacific
Maritime
Deployment: Long-range naval power projection, including advanced
multi-purpose combat ships like the Giovanni dalle Bande Nere on
extended regional deployments
2026 https://www.difesa.it/operazionimilitari/index/26771.htmlhttps://www.difesa.it/operazionimilitari/index/26771.html
click on the links on the right for specific operations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVOvN105-e8&t=1016
Defence spending
https://www.iai.it/en/publications/c41/melonis-defence-policy-adjusting-balance-sheet-crises
and in 2025
https://www.remocontro.it/2025/04/15/missioni-militari-italiane-allestero-2025/
https://www.difesa.it/smd/news-italia/nato-framework-nations-concept-italiano-visita-stabilimenti-leonardo/52201.html
see the map on the right, 2024 Can anyone find an updated map?
Background:
Italy’s record in peacekeeping
La partecipazione alle missioni ONU da
parte italiana è particolarmente apprezzata e rappresenta un vero e proprio
modello, soprattutto grazie alla capacità di dialogo dei nostri contingenti con
le popolazioni locali e alla complementarietà dimostrata tra dimensione civile
e militare nelle operazioni di stabilizzazione e mantenimento della pace.
https://www.esteri.it/en/temi/organizzazioni_internazionali/onu/onu_ruolo_italia_nel_peacekeeping/
https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/italy
and
today – read this
https://italyun.esteri.it/en/italy-and-the-united-nations/peacekeeping-peacebuilding/
Italy, the EU, NATO and Ukraine
and EU Defence integration
Italy is currently navigating a major
debate on EU defence integration by negotiating a commitment of over €8 billion
in loans under the EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument.
The SAFE Loan Debate and Italy's
Position
·
Initial Allocation: Rome initially booked a ceiling of
€14.9 billion under SAFE, but the Meloni government trimmed its active target
down to an expected range of over €8 billion to limit new debt while funding
pre-planned projects.
·
Political Hesitation: Internal political resistance and
debates over budgetary deviations have delayed final signatures.
·
EU Pressure: The European Commission has pressed
Rome to finalize agreements, warning that any uncommitted funds risk being
reallocated through a secondary call for other member states before the end of
the year.
Broader EU Integration and the
Industrial Context
·
Defense Toolkits: Broader frameworks like the European
Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) are framing long-term cooperation up to the
post-2028 multiannual financial framework.
·
Italy-Turkey Cooperation: Italy is
acting as a primary test bed for integrating non-EU defense
capabilities—specifically Turkish industrial capacity—into the broader European
defense ecosystem
Italy and Cyber Security
Italy manages national digital defense
through the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN), which coordinates
strategy, incident response, and asset protection.
National Strategy & Governance
·
National Cybersecurity Strategy: Italy's
framework runs through 2026, targeting infrastructure protection, incident
response, and technology development.
·
Core Pillars: Focuses on safeguarding public
administration, building industrial cyber resilience, and expanding digital
research. [1]
·
Key Authority: The National Cybersecurity Agency acts as the central technical
body, overseeing audits, product certifications, and national cyber culture.
Current Threats and Ransomware Trends
·
Surge in Attacks: Italy has faced a sharp escalation in
ransomware activity, with northern manufacturing districts and telecom
providers frequently targeted.
·
Proposed Anti-Extortion Laws: Lawmakers
have advanced strict proposals to ban critical infrastructure operators from
paying ransoms without direct authorization from the Prime Minister.
·
Mandatory Reporting: Emerging legal mandates require
organizations to report severe cyber incidents to CSIRT Italy within a strict
six-hour window.
Italy coordinates its international
cybersecurity work through the ACN to secure digital networks with the European
Union, NATO, and global allies.
European Union Cooperation
·
Policy Alignment: Italy helps shape EU cybersecurity
rules and strategies.
·
Information Sharing: Italian teams work with EU response
bodies to share threat data and emergency alerts.
·
Critical Protection: Italy updates local laws to protect
digital systems, 4G, and 5G networks in line with broader European safety
goals.
NATO Cooperation
·
Defense Posture: Italy supports NATO's goal to treat
cyberspace as an active operational domain.
·
Joint Events: Rome hosted the NATO Cyber Defense
Pledge Conference and meetings for secure undersea infrastructure.
·
Training Exercises: Italian units join international
defense drills, such as NATO's Cyber Coalition, to practice stopping real-time
attacks.
Alliances and Global Partners
·
G7 Leadership: Italy helped set up the G7
Cybersecurity Working Group to align policies with major democratic nations.
·
Ransomware Fight: Italy takes part in the international
Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) to block digital extortion.
·
Ukraine Support: Italy joins initiatives like the
Tallinn Mechanism to send civilian cyber help to Ukraine
More on operations and missions
NATO Operation Sea Guardian
https://www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/operations-and-missions/operation-sea-guardian
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sea_Guardian
EUNAVFOR
MED – Operazione Irini
https://www.operationirini.eu/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Irini
EUNAVFOR
Operation ASPIDES https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eunavfor-aspides_en?s=410381
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operazione_Aspides
https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eunavfor-aspides_en?s=410381
Afghanistan: The main mission to Afghanistan ended at the end of June 2021, (NATO
Resolute Support Mission RSM, 895 personnel)
https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_2019_06/20190625_2019-06-RSM-Placemat.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resolute_Support_Missionù
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Police_Mission_in_Afghanistan
https://thegeopolitics.com/why-nato-failed-in-afghanistan/
The primary active international
mission in Afghanistan is the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
(UNAMA), which was recently renewed by the UN Security Council
until June 17, 2027.
UNAMA
·
Role: A special political mission providing political,
humanitarian, and administrative support.
·
Current Mandate: Extended under Resolution 2822 (2026)
to assist the Afghan people while respecting national sovereignty.
·
Key Concerns: Focuses heavily on human rights,
particularly addressing the systemic exclusion of women and girls from public
life.
Past Major Missions
·
Resolute Support Mission (2015–2021): A NATO-led non-combat mission that trained and advised Afghan
security forces following the conclusion of the ISAF operation.
·
ISAF (2001–2014): The International Security Assistance
Force established after the initial 2001 U.S.-led intervention
Italy
and Libya
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorandum_Italia-Libia_del_2017
https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/quarterly-mixed-migration-update-north-africa-quarter-2-2025
https://www.esercito.difesa.it/operazioni/operazioni_oltremare/pagine/libia-mil.aspx
Operazione Mediterraneo Sicuro
https://www.difesa.it/operazionimilitari/op-intern-corso/operazione-mediterraneo-sicuro/index.html
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operazione_Mediterraneo_Sicuro
See the following on the Italian armed
forces:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Armed_Forces
https://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.php?country_id=italy
As we have seen, Italy has joined in
many UN, NATO and EU operations as well as
providing assistance in the Middle East peace process, peacekeeping, and combating
the illegal drugs trade, human trafficking, piracy and terrorism.
Moreover, under long-standing
bilateral agreements flowing from NATO membership, Italy hosts important and vital
NATO and U.S. military command hubs and strategic air-naval installations,
accounting for roughly 12,000 stationed U.S. and allied personnel. [1]
Key NATO and Allied Bases in Italy
·
Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples): Located in
Lago Patria (Giugliano in Campania), it is a principal NATO operational command
center overseen by an Italian commander, directing regional maritime and land
operations.
·
Aviano Air Base: Situated in northeastern Italy, it
hosts the U.S. Air Force’s 31st Fighter Wing, projecting tactical air power
across southern and eastern Europe.
·
Naval Air Station Sigonella (NAS Sigonella): Located in
Sicily, it functions as a critical logistical and surveillance hub for the
Mediterranean and North Africa.
·
Naval Support Activity Naples (NSA Naples): Serves as
the headquarters for U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and the U.S. 6th Fleet.
·
Camp Darby: Located between Livorno and Pisa, it
operates as a major logistical and materiel storage depot for U.S. forces in
Europe.
·
Taranto Naval Base: Serves as a primary Mediterranean hub
for Italian naval forces and rotating allied maritime groups like Standing NATO
Mine Countermeasures Group Two.
·
Italy also hosts the NATO Defence College at
Cecchignola, near Rome.
Recent 2026 Strategic Developments
·
Iran Conflict Air-Access Dispute: In
mid-2026, a political friction emerged after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte
claimed numerous U.S. flights staged from Italian bases during operations
against Iran. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government strongly rebuked the
statement, clarifying that Rome only authorized non-kinetic, technical, and
logistical support while denying direct combat or offensive transit requests.
·
Command Transitions and Defense Commitments: Italy
continues active leadership in regional deterrence, recently managing maritime
commands in Taranto and executing Air Policing missions along NATO's eastern
flank, while moving toward long-term defense spending targets.
For more information about Italy’s role in
the world, go to:
The website of the foreign Ministry
http://www.esteri.it/ and then explore the various areas
as regards Italy and the UN
https://italyun.esteri.it/en/italy-and-the-united-nations/
and for Italy and NATO
https://rappnato.esteri.it/en/litalia-e-la-nato/
https://rappnato.esteri.it/it/
then look at other organizations, the G7, G20, OSCE (Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe) the Council of
Europe and international economic fora and organisations - the OECD (Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development, Fondo Monetario Internazionale,
The World Bank (WB), Club di Parigi, Banca Europea
per la Ricostruzione e lo Sviluppo (BERS)
If you go back to the site of the Rappresentanza Permanente d’Italia
all’ONU – New York:
https://italyun.esteri.it/it/
you can choose English as the operating
language to read and make notes on the following:
The General Assembly
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
The
Ministry odf Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Some but not all of its internal pages are available in English.
for example https://www.esteri.it/it/temi/diplomazia_economica/
The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is
a temporary instrument now nearing its end, and the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU -the
EU’s plan to emerge stronger and more resilient from the COVID 19 crisis.
https://reforms-investments.ec.europa.eu/recovery-and-resilience-facility-1_en
and then look at Italy’s National Recovery and
Resilience Plan
https://www.italiadomani.gov.it/content/sogei-ng/it/en/home.html
Sistema Paese - Country Promotion
https://eventisistemapaese.esteri.it/EventiSistemaPaese/index.asp
https://www.esteri.it/it/temi/diplomazia_economica/
and
all the sections on the right
https://www.ice.it/it the Italian Trade Agency
Italy and Trade
The export goal of €700
billion by 2027
and a little history regarding efforts to boost investments:
Expo Milano
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_2015
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_2015
and Destinazione Italia 2013 to attract
investments
https://www.mimit.gov.it/images/stories/documenti/DESTINAZIONE_ITALIA_version_EN.PDF
Human
Rights and the Protection of Cultural Heritage
https://www.esteri.it/en/temi/temi_globali/diritti-umani/litalia_e_i_diritti_umani/
https://delegazioneunesco.esteri.it/en/litalia-e-lunesco/ll-ruolo-dellitalia-allunesco/
https://delegazioneunesco.esteri.it/en/litalia-e-lunesco/
https://mediterraneandietunesco.org/the-protection-and-preservation-of-cultural-heritage-in-italy/
Italy and the EU
Italy is actively engaging
with the European Union in 2026 on fiscal consolidation, new work permit rules,
and key industrial policies. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni represents the
country at EU summits, addressing shared economic and foreign goals.
Economic and Fiscal Policy
·
Deficit and Debt: Italy's government deficit continues to
fall under EU fiscal rules. The deficit is projected to drop to around 3.1% of
GDP, guided by the European Commission framework.
·
Public Debt: Public debt remains high, projected near
138.5% of GDP for the year.
Immigration and Labor Rules
·
Single Permits: Italy implemented Legislative Decree
83/2026 in May 2026. This law updates national rules to match the Italian Visa and single European work permit standards for
non-EU citizens.
·
Blue Card: Italy continues to use quota-free EU Blue Card
rules to attract high-skilled global workers faster.
Trade and Industry
·
Car Tariffs: Italian auto industry groups urged the EU in
September 2026 to place an 80% tariff on Chinese car imports that exceed an 8%
market share limit. The goal is to protect local manufacturing and strategic
autonomy.
·
EU Laws: Italy passed Law 36/2026 in spring 2026 to adopt
pending EU directives on consumer rights, safety, and journalist protections
The
EU’s country reports on each members economic and social developments
https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/publications/2025-european-semester-country-reports_en
Click on Italy 2025
Some more recent history on
a range of topics
the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the EU response - NextGenerationEU
https://ecfr.eu/publication/romes-moment-draghi-multilateralism-and-italys-new-strategy/
https://ecfr.eu/article/commentary_crisis_communication_italy_the_coronavirus_and_european_solidari/
https://next-generation-eu.europa.eu/index_en
https://www.governo.it/sites/governo.it/files/PNRR.pdf
https://www.italiadomani.gov.it/content/sogei-ng/it/en/home.html
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_3126
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_22_5663
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_4025
https://ecfr.eu/article/commentary_crisis_communication_italy_the_coronavirus_and_european_solidari/
Migration
https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230916-eu-scrambles-to-address-italy-island-migrant-surge
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_23_4502
https://www.linkiesta.it/2023/06/riforma-regolamento-dublino-europa/
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_2152
https://www.dw.com/en/italy-rushes-to-relocate-thousands-of-new-lampedusa-arrivals/a-66825666
https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/european-neighbourhood-policy/southern-neighbourhood_en
EU Security and Defence Cooperation
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/defence-security/
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forze_armate_dell%27Unione_europea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Security_and_Defence_Policy
https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/missions-and-operations_en
https://decode39.com/7051/italy-germany-eu-defence/
http://documenti.camera.it/leg19/dossier/pdf/ES027.pdf
https://eda.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/2021/07/22/ce-in-italy-for-high-level-talks
https://www.iai.it/sites/default/files/iai2020.pdf
https://decode39.com/5335/meloni-boost-eu-defence-nato/
https://decode39.com/4753/italy-military-support-to-kyiv/
https://www.iai.it/en/pubblicazioni/defence-policy-giorgia-melonis-government
https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/EU%20and%20NATO.pdf
The European battlegroups
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EU_Battlegroup
negotiating with Putin
EU budgetary rules
EU Commission recommendations
https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/publications/2025-european-semester-country-reports_en
Italy and
the UN
