In May 2026, States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will meet for the 11th Review Conference under exceptionally difficult circumstances. The war in Ukraine continues, the proliferation crisis surrounding Iran has deepened, debates on renewed nuclear testing and reversed disarmament have resurfaced, and transatlantic relations are strained, including over the territorial integrity of Greenland.

In these times, European support for and leadership in the NPT are more urgent than ever – yet they may be complicated by diverging priorities among European states. This commentary series explores different European perspectives on the Treaty and the 2026 Review Conference, with a view to identifying shared challenges and opportunities to enhance cooperation across Europe.

This week, Federica Dall’Arche reflects on Italy’s perspective on the NPT and its approach to the 2026 NPT Review Conference.

Italy and the NPT

Italy has long considered the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) the cornerstone of the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture and an integral pillar of its national security and foreign policy. As a non-nuclear-weapon state and a participant in NATO’s nuclear sharing arrangements, the country remains committed to non-proliferation obligations under the Treaty and has repeatedly advocated for the long-term objective of a world free of nuclear weapons, pursuable through a realistic, pragmatic, and responsible approach grounded in multilateral cooperation.

On several occasions, Italy has acknowledged that the NPT operates in an increasingly strained environment, characterised by a deterioration of the international security landscape, heightened nuclear risks, the erosion of arms control agreements, and growing mistrust among States Parties. Nonetheless, the country has consistently argued that these challenges reinforce, rather than undermine, the Treaty’s relevance. In Rome’s view, the NPT remains irreplaceable both as a legal framework and as a political and diplomatic platform for dialogue, transparency, and confidence-building, and there is no viable alternative to the NPT for preventing proliferation, reducing nuclear risks, and sustaining international stability.

Italy’s commitment to supporting and reinforcing the NPT is not only diplomatic. In practical terms, Italy offers tangible support to the broader non-proliferation architecture through voluntary contributions to key international organisations that strengthen non-proliferation, verification, and nuclear risk reduction, and underpin the NPT framework. For example, Italy is among the main donors to the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Fund and Nuclear Security Fund, supporting capacity-building initiatives and expert training, particularly for developing countries. Additionally, Italy contributes to the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, including through support for auxiliary seismic stations and the Technical Expert Support Programme, which enhances national expertise in verification technologies and global nuclear monitoring.

The issue of nuclear sharing arrangements within the NPT framework

The issue of nuclear sharing has become increasingly divisive within the NPT framework. As one of the countries under these arrangements, Italy has articulated a clear position on the matter. Italy maintains that such arrangements are not only consistent with the spirit of the Treaty but have also contributed to one of its core objectives: non-proliferation. According to Rome, nuclear sharing has so far effectively reduced incentives for States under these arrangements to develop independent nuclear capabilities and, as a result, in the fifty-five years since the NPT entered into force, no NATO member state has acquired its own nuclear arsenal.

Italy further argues that the prominence of the nuclear sharing debate within the NPT intensified following Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, not as a consequence of new legal or normative developments, but rather as part of a broader political strategy aimed at polarising the internal NPT debate. From this perspective, the emphasis placed on nuclear sharing has contributed to creating divisions and exacerbating tensions among States Parties, particularly within the European Union, with the intention, on the one hand, of diverting attention from blatant violations of international law and, on the other, of undermining European unity and the non-proliferation regime as a whole. As a result, rather than advancing the cause of disarmament, a continued focus on this issue risks exacerbating divisions among Member States (above all within the EU) and undermining meaningful, constructive progress.

Italy’s main priorities for the 2026 NPT Review Conference

Italy’s stated objective for the 2026 NPT Review Conference is first and foremost to safeguard the Treaty’s unity, credibility, and authority by achieving an outcome that strengthens the review process and keeps all States Parties meaningfully engaged. Substantively, Italy has consistently advocated for the complete, comprehensive, and balanced implementation of the Treaty’s three pillars (non-proliferation, disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy), explicitly recalling the 2010 Action Plan as the shared and pragmatic basis for progress. This reflects Italy’s long-standing preference for incremental advances rooted in agreed commitments rather than approaches it perceives as normatively divisive.

Against the backdrop of heightened nuclear risks, Italy has placed particular emphasis on nuclear risk reduction, transparency, and confidence-building measures as necessary steps to rebuild trust among States Parties and reduce the likelihood of miscalculation. On disarmament, Italy often reiterates its support for the long-term objective of a world without nuclear weapons. It recalls the shared understanding among nuclear-weapon states that “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

At the same time, Italy’s priorities reflect a security- and alliance-aware approach, in which progress on disarmament should be verifiable, pragmatic, and firmly anchored in the NPT framework, balancing geopolitical realities with the pursuit of reduced nuclear dangers through cooperative multilateralism.

Cooperation within the NPT Framework and the role of the European Union

Italy’s national policies in disarmament, non-proliferation, and deterrence are primarily designed to ensure national security and are formulated and implemented within the framework of the common policies and shared strategic assessments collectively agreed within the NATO Alliance. They are (so far) firmly embedded in the transatlantic framework, including participation in nuclear sharing arrangements. This security- and alliance-aware posture informs Italy’s emphasis on stability and on verifiable, step-by-step progress on disarmament within the NPT framework.

At the same time, the European Union plays a central role as a key reference point in shaping Italy’s approach in these domains. Coordination with other EU States is constant and substantive rather than merely rhetorical. It is essential to formulate common lines, political priorities, and shared messaging in preparation for multilateral processes. Through active engagement in EU coordination mechanisms, Italy aligns its positions closely with agreed EU common positions and seeks coherence across national statements, working papers, and negotiating priorities. EU consultations provide a platform for harmonising views on the implementation of the NPT’s three pillars, accommodating the diverse security perspectives of Member States, and enhancing the Union’s collective weight and visibility within the NPT framework.

In the run-up to the 2026 Review Conference, the EU faces an ambitious task. While continuing to bridge divisions between deterrence-reliant members and more disarmament-oriented states, the EU will need to move beyond managing internal differences and instead actively consolidate a strategically coherent set of positions. Strengthening internal unity and reducing visible fragmentation is essential for the EU to act and be perceived as a credible and effective bloc within the NPT framework. Presenting a more monolithic posture is paramount to significantly enhance the EU’s diplomatic leverage and resilience, helping to prevent its marginalisation in an increasingly contested international environment in which external actors have strong incentives to exploit internal divisions and weaken the EU’s collective influence.

The future of the NPT and Italy’s role

The geopolitical landscape as we know it is changing rapidly. Core assumptions underpinning security in Europe and in other regions (most notably: reliance on the United States) can no longer be taken for granted and are increasingly under strain. Growing uncertainty about the future role of the United States, driven by shifting strategic priorities, has given renewed urgency to debates on the need for Europe and other regions to assume greater responsibility for their own defence. Inevitably, these dynamics will have significant implications for the future of the NPT, shaping deterrence postures, threat perceptions, and the political conditions for cooperation within the Treaty framework.

In this context, the evolution of the NPT after 2026 will largely depend on rebuilding trust among States Parties and in the review process itself. Rather than focusing on ambitious normative breakthroughs, priority should be given to preserving the Treaty’s role as a stabilising framework that provides channels for dialogue, enables the management of strategic risks, and remains capable of adapting to ongoing strategic change.

As the Treaty’s credibility increasingly hinges on its ability to deliver tangible results, demonstrating delivery across its three pillars is key. Progress on disarmament and non-proliferation remains severely constrained, making it all the more important to focus on areas where stabilising outcomes are still achievable. Nuclear risk reduction and measures aimed at preventing miscalculation stand out as the most urgent – and likely the only – politically feasible avenues for cooperation. By advocating for, supporting, and prioritising concrete risk reduction measures (including transparency, confidence-building, and communication), Italy can play a particularly relevant role in sustaining the NPT’s credibility in a period of heightened nuclear danger.

Italy is well-positioned to act as a bridge-builder, promoting pragmatic engagement on the issue across regional and political divides. As a non-nuclear-weapon state participating in nuclear sharing arrangements and as a long-standing advocate of multilateralism, the country is well placed at the intersection of deterrence-based security frameworks and non-proliferation and disarmament commitments, allowing it to credibly advance and support measures that could reduce the risk of nuclear use. Within Europe, it can contribute to shaping a coherent approach that supports strategic responsibility while reaffirming commitment to the NPT’s balanced implementation, ensuring that the Treaty remains a credible anchor for non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful nuclear cooperation in an increasingly uncertain world.

The European Leadership Network itself as an institution holds no formal policy positions. The opinions articulated above represent the views of the authors rather than the European Leadership Network or its members. The ELN aims to encourage debates that will help develop Europe’s capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security policy challenges of our time, to further its charitable purposes.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons / European Union