Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Wednesday (8 May 2024) to discuss preparations for the Washington Summit, including work to further strengthen NATO, achieve fairer burden-sharing, and provide more support to Ukraine.
The Secretary General praised Italy's support to Ukraine, including its provision of a SAMP/T air defence system with France. Italy has also signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, helping to enhance Ukraine's defences, support its armament industry and counter hybrid threats.
The Secretary General commended Prime Minister Meloni for Italy's many contributions to the Alliance, including its leadership of NATO's battlegroup in Bulgaria and its contribution of forces to battlegroups in Hungary and Latvia. Italy also regularly participates in Baltic Air Policing and NATO maritime operations. Mr Stoltenberg thanked Italy for its commitment to NATO's KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and NATO's training mission in Iraq. He also welcomed Italy's key role in developing NATO's approach to its southern neighbourhood.
