Meloni sceptical about sending "reassurance force" to Ukraine

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is sceptical about the idea of a "reassurance force", which French President Emmanuel Macron spoke about deploying in strategically important areas of Ukraine after the resolution of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Meloni said in an interview with the Financial Times that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin might perceive the deployment of the "reassurance force" in Ukraine as a provocation.

"We have to be careful here. It can be seen more as a threat," she said.

Meanwhile, the Italian PM reiterated that she supports extending NATO's Article 5 to Ukraine without the country actually joining the Alliance. Meloni is convinced that this would be "easier and more effective" than other proposals.

Asked whether she considered Russia a long-term threat, Maloney said "I believe it could be, I think it could".

"But in any case, I believe we have to find a way to be ready to defend ourselves from every kind of threat that we can have," she said.

On 27 March in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a Franco-British mission would be sent to Ukraine to strengthen the Ukrainian army. He also added that work on the potential deployment of the so-called "reassurance force" to Ukraine was ongoing.

The coalition of the willing, led by France and the UK, has been working for several weeks on a plan to send thousands of troops to Ukraine to guarantee a future ceasefire.

France did not rule out the deployment of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine at a distance from the front line, with one option being deployment along the Dnipro River.