Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has firmly dismissed any possibility of Italy joining a proposed “coalition of the willing,” which would see European troops deployed to Ukraine following a potential peace deal with Russia. The initiative, led by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, aims to reinforce Ukraine’s military presence even after a ceasefire. However, Meloni has made it clear that Rome will not be part of such an arrangement, emphasizing the need for European nations to coordinate efforts with Washington to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Speaking after a summit of Ukraine’s backers in Paris on March 27, which was also attended by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Meloni reaffirmed her government’s stance. According to an official statement from her office, “no national participation in a possible military force on the ground is planned” by Italy. Instead, she underscored the necessity of working with the United States to halt the war and reach a sustainable peace between Moscow and Kiev.

Meloni’s remarks further reinforced her preference for American involvement in shaping European security strategies. She “hoped for the involvement of an American delegation at the next coordination meeting” of Ukraine’s European allies, signaling her belief that the US remains the most effective broker for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

In an interview with the Financial Times on March 28, Meloni dismissed any notion of choosing between European and American leadership in dealing with the Ukraine crisis, calling such a binary choice “childish.” She also proposed an........

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