Key Takeaways:
- The Coalition of the Willing Fills NATO Gaps: Created to bypass lack of consensus within NATO, the coalition offers a more agile, flexible framework for supporting Ukraine.
- Security Needs Multi-Level Integration: Gaudiosi proposes a differentiated security model involving countries inside and outside NATO, sharing commitments across legal and political boundaries.
- Cybersecurity Must Be Central: He calls for the creation of a joint cybersecurity framework, warning that cyberattacks are a growing threat to both Ukraine and the entire NATO alliance.
- NATO’s Agenda Needs Rebalancing: With the upcoming summit, NATO must elevate coordination with the coalition and ensure Ukraine support is more strategically aligned and sustained.
Transcript – Francesco Gaudiosi
Vice President and Executive Director, Centro Studi Internazionali; Expert in International Environmental Law and Global Governance
Remarks at the Westminster Alliance for Ukraine Event
In my brief intervention, I would like to focus on the relationship between the Coalition of the Willing and NATO. NATO, alongside the European Union, is one of the key international organizations involved in this broader effort. Yet we must remember that the coalition was created precisely because of the lack of full consensus within NATO regarding Ukraine.
Allow me to structure my remarks around three key concepts: flexibility, coherence, and integration.
First, flexibility.
Unlike NATO, the Coalition of the Willing is not a formal international organization — it lacks legal personality under international law. While that may seem like a disadvantage, it also creates flexibility. This looser structure allows participating states to coordinate diplomatic and strategic efforts in support of Ukraine more dynamically.
Second, coherence.
The coalition was always meant to complement NATO. It offers a platform to overcome internal disagreements within NATO and build stronger coordination. But this coordination must be backed by concrete proposals — especially for burden-sharing and shared commitments. With the next NATO summit just a few months away, it is crucial that this topic becomes a priority on the alliance’s agenda.
Third, integration.
While NATO provides formal security guarantees, the Coalition of the Willing has the potential to serve as the foundation for a flexible, multilayered security architecture. This would involve specific commitments from a subset of nations — including some that are outside the formal NATO framework. It’s important that upcoming discussions explore these differentiated levels of commitment and security cooperation.
There’s much more I would like to contribute, but I know my time is limited. Let me close by emphasizing a crucial point:
We must seriously consider establishing a joint cybersecurity support framework. Cyber threats represent a growing and immediate danger — both to Ukraine and to NATO member states. In the short and long term, cybersecurity must become a core focus of our collective strategy, particularly in light of ongoing and future Russian aggression.
