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Europe Needs New Military Alliance to Defend Itself, Italy Says

Guido Crosetto, Italy’s defense minister, said in an interview that European nations should forge a new joint defense system and take greater responsibility for their own security.

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Reporting from Rome

June 5, 2026, 5:50 a.m. ET

Italy has called for the creation of a new European defense alliance to safeguard the continent amid growing threats from Russia and a rising reluctance by the United States to guarantee Europe’s security.

The proposal, made by Italy’s defense minister, Guido Crosetto, calls on the European Union’s 27 members to form an alliance with 13 other like-minded European nations that are not part of the bloc, including Britain, Norway, Turkey and Ukraine.

“We must build a continental Europe of defense,” Mr. Crosetto said in an interview with The New York Times.

Though the proposal is unlikely to be implemented, Mr. Crosetto’s outreach shows how Europe is taking a more proactive approach to its defense in the wake of the war in Ukraine, following years of underinvestment in its militaries. It also highlights how seriously European leaders view President Trump’s efforts to reduce America’s military footprint in Europe.

The idea would significantly reshape how Europe organizes its collective defense, creating a new European-led structure alongside the current American-led NATO system. Since World War II, the United States has guaranteed the safety of its allies in Europe — until Mr. Trump challenged them to take greater responsibility for their own security.

Mr. Crosetto first made the proposal in a letter sent in April to counterparts across the continent, as well as to E.U. and NATO leaders.

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