Italy Rules Out NATO or EU Peacekeepers in Ukraine—UN Mandate Only, Says FM Tajani

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that Italy would only consider sending peacekeepers to Ukraine under the flag of the United Nations, according to ANSA on March 21.

He ruled out the possibility of deploying Italian forces under the banners of NATO or the European Union.

Speaking in Rome on Friday during the presentation of a new Action Plan to accelerate exports, Tajani said, “It seems premature to me to talk about peacekeeping operations in Ukraine.”

The minister, who also serves as deputy prime minister, emphasized that Italy supports the ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving peace. “Now we encourage the process that has begun for peace, which I think is going in the right direction,” he noted. “We are still in the pre-negotiation phase.”

According to Tajani, the deployment of peacekeepers would only be possible under a United Nations framework. “The only option could be that of the United Nations, but there must be a decision by the Security Council,” he added.

Earlier in March, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed extending NATO’s Article 5 protections to Ukraine without granting full membership. According to the Financial Times, she argued that this approach would provide “stable, lasting, and effective security” while avoiding the complications of deploying foreign troops.

Meloni also reiterated Italy’s opposition to sending European forces to enforce a potential ceasefire, calling the idea “the most complex solution.”