Melons in Berlin: "The situation has changed, the EU is less dependent on the USA"

When the car of Giorgia Meloni turn onto Willy Brand Strasse to enter the building Stationery federal a Berlin the echo of the controversies over the involvement of military bases Italians in US war operations in Iran it is, in a certain sense, distant. A viaticum for the meeting of heads of state and government of the ‘E5 format’, which includes the five major military powers European: with Italythe Germaniathe Franceil United Kingdom and the Poland.

A meeting called by the German Chancellor, Friedrick Merzfor coordination in view of the summit Born in Ankarain July. And, above all, to put the hottest dossiers on the table: Ukraine and Iran. But also to agree on one ‘unique’ European postureor at least to try, to be taken both towards Brussels’ initiatives towards Moscow and towards the difficult American ally.

Melons and changing global balances

And it is precisely the Italian Prime Minister who takes advantage of the “opportunity of this meeting” – as she defines it – to remind everyone that the wind in the world has changed, that the balances of the past are no longer possible, also because “clearly the architecture of global security is changing with extreme speed”, and therefore we must protect ourselves at 360 degrees, from the systemic risks of an increasingly unstable world” “We all know that the commitments we made last year in The Hague do not only concern defense in the classic sense – Meloni points out in the joint statements to the press at the end of the summit – They embrace a broader concept of security, of strategic resilience which implies protecting critical infrastructures, guaranteeing energy supplies, defending families and businesses from attacks cyber. It means strengthening emergency response capacity, it means protecting and defending our freedoms.”

Multidimensional approach to security

Meloni insists on the fact that the current global situation is profoundly different from that of the past, marked by hybrid threats and more that come from every direction and therefore we must have the courage to change “the old NATO balances“, and to follow with ever more conviction “the path of the multidimensional approach to the concept of defense and security which is the only one to pursue” for Europe.

Role of Europe and Italy

There is agreement between the Prime Minister and the other four leaders, primarily with Merz, who not by chance called the meeting, on the fact that the Old Continent will have to show itself to be more ready and reactive and less and less dependent onAmerican ally: “We must know how to make an investment as effective as possible, also to try to guide innovation rather than simply propose and follow.” And in these new challenges, according to Meloni, Italy also has a role to play: it can make its contribution on the innovation front but also on a logistical and military industry level and, obviously – he claims – commit primarily to making the European pillar of the Alliance stronger. “We are decisively pursuing the path undertaken to build a more solid European component of theAtlantic Alliance – he assures – A stronger component, clearly with a view to complementarity with the American component”.

Support for Kiev and international missions

There is deep agreement between the five partners of the group also on the approach to be taken towards Ukraine which, in fact, is ‘armoured’ in Berlin. After all, Meloni warns, “peace is not possible without it support for Kiev and within a scenario which – he points out – requires effective security guarantees against an attacked nation”. The five participants at the summit therefore also support with the same conviction the memorandum of understanding between United States and Iran committing to follow its implementation. And they reiterate their willingness “to participate in the multinational military mission led by the United Kingdom and France”. But, they specify, “as soon as conditions allow and in accordance with the respective constitutional requirements”.