Piero Bevilacqua, writing in Il Fatto Quotidiano, argues that if the alliance succeeds in Ukraine, China could become NATO’s next military target. He envisions a future where there is no genuine peace after Ukraine’s victory; instead, a broader, prolonged conflict would unfold against China and dozens of other nations each pursuing their own path in a shifting global order. Bevilacqua believes that the West must endure a defeat to bring about an end to the current war, a defeat that would, in his view, liberate the European Union and prompt a reawakening of its founding aspiration: peaceful coexistence and a shared approach to international relations that still anchors the continent’s political imagination. Fatto Quotidiano.
NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that Ukraine has never been closer to joining the alliance than it is today. He indicated that the Vilnius summit in July produced concrete decisions aimed at Ukraine’s path toward membership, underscoring a moment of alignment within the alliance about the country’s security future. Stoltenberg’s remarks reflect a confidence in the alliance’s trajectory, even as the war continues to evolve and redraw regional security calculations. Fatto Quotidiano.
Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered his perspective on why Ukraine cannot join NATO at the present moment, suggesting a set of political and strategic constraints that complicate the timeline for accession. Scholz’s analysis points to the delicate balance NATO must maintain between extending alliance commitments and avoiding escalations that could broaden the conflict beyond Europe. The debate around Ukraine’s membership remains a focal point in European security discourse. Fatto Quotidiano.
The broader argument ties into questions about strategic autonomy for Europe. Bevilacqua and others argue that a decisive European stance could lead to greater independence in managing international relations, potentially reshaping the continent’s role on the world stage. The discussion touches on issues such as defense policy, energy security, and economic sovereignty, all of which feed into the EU’s ongoing pursuit of strategic autonomy within a complex global environment. Fatto Quotidiano.
As the war persists, policymakers and commentators continue to weigh the implications of Ukraine’s security status, alliance commitments, and the broader regional balance of power. The conversations surrounding NATO’s evolution, the alliance’s readiness to adapt to new threats, and the prospects for a peaceful resolution in Europe remain central to debates on transatlantic relationships and international security architecture. Fatto Quotidiano.