While the leadership of the mission is anticipated to be assumed by either Italy or France, Tjani highlighted the details regarding the naval mission.
In a televised interview on the Italian state broadcasting service RAI, Tajani emphasized the importance of protecting commercial ship traffic. He mentioned ongoing collaboration with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, highlighting the necessity of a military defense mission to secure maritime trade traffic in addition to the existing Atalanta mission.
The proposed mission will feature updated engagement rules, enabling it to counter threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or missiles targeting Italian ships or those of other nations.
Tajani stressed the significance of this naval mission, particularly in light of the escalating situation in the Red Sea involving Houthi forces in Yemen. Italy, along with France and Greece, has expressed interest in assuming command of the EU mission, with each country submitting proposals.
Turning his attention to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Tajani remarked that achieving peace in Ukraine is challenging unless Russian forces withdraw. During discussions with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Tajani reiterated Italy's commitment to supporting Ukraine.
He acknowledged the Ukrainian stance of not accepting Russia's presence in occupied territories, emphasizing the need to explore avenues for agreements while recognizing Ukrainian aspirations for Crimea and Donbas.