ROME / Anadolu

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said that the European defense system should not be limited to the borders of the European Union, but should extend to partnerships with Britain, Norway, Switzerland, Moldova, the Western Balkan countries, Turkey, and Ukraine.

In statements to the Italian newspaper "La Stampa" on Saturday, Crosetto touched on indications that the United States intends to scale back its military involvement in Europe.

He expressed hope that the shift in US strategic balances toward the Indo-Pacific region would be gradual, not sudden.

He said Europe's response to this shift should be comprehensive, "by strengthening a defense system that is not limited to the borders of the European Union, but extends geographically to a real continental scope, including partnerships with Britain, Norway, Switzerland, Moldova, the Western Balkan countries, Turkey, and Ukraine."

Crosetto also stressed the need to establish a national and a European center to confront hybrid warfare.