Italy and Malta Defence Cooperation: Crosetto Seeks Stronger Southern Flank Focus on Mediterranean Security
Italy and Malta will deepen defence cooperation in the central Mediterranean, with a focus on air and maritime surveillance, information sharing and the protection of critical undersea infrastructure, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Monday after meeting his Maltese counterpart. The Italian Ministry of Defence published the minister’s statement on its official X account on 19 October 2026.
- Crosetto met Glenn Bedingfield, Malta’s Minister for Home Affairs and Security, who is also responsible for defence and the Armed Forces of Malta
- Talks covered military-to-military cooperation, air-maritime surveillance and information sharing
- Protection of maritime and undersea critical infrastructure, including energy links and communication networks, was a central topic
- Both sides backed the stabilisation of Libya and Africa and the 5+5 Defence Initiative
Surveillance and undersea infrastructure at the centre
According to the ministry’s statement, the “constructive and cordial” meeting focused on cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces and on strengthening air and maritime surveillance. Crosetto said the two sides discussed information sharing and the protection of critical maritime and undersea infrastructure in order to prevent threats, improve response capacity and keep energy links and communication networks resilient.
The central Mediterranean is crossed by subsea power interconnectors, gas pipelines and data cables that link Europe with North Africa and the Middle East. European governments have stepped up monitoring of such infrastructure after a series of suspected sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea in recent years.
Call for a “360-degree” European approach
Crosetto said geographic proximity and historic ties of friendship translate into common interests and a shared commitment to Mediterranean security, adding that the stability of the region underpins that of Europe as a whole. He called for a “360-degree” European approach that matches attention to the eastern flank with an equally concrete commitment to the southern front, one shared even beyond the 27 EU member states.
Italy has long argued inside NATO and the EU that threats emanating from the south, including instability in Libya and the Sahel, irregular migration and risks to maritime trade, deserve more attention alongside the security challenges posed by Russia.
Bilateral mission and the 5+5 Defence Initiative
Crosetto said the Maltese side expressed appreciation for the results achieved by Italy’s bilateral defence cooperation mission in Malta, which he described as confirmation of the value of the partnership. The two ministers also agreed on the importance of supporting the stabilisation of Libya and Africa and of strengthening dialogue between the two shores of the Mediterranean, including through the 5+5 Defence Initiative.
The 5+5 Defence Initiative brings together five southern European states (France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain) with five Maghreb countries (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) to promote practical security cooperation in the western Mediterranean. Malta is a neutral EU member that is not part of NATO, which makes bilateral arrangements with neighbours such as Italy a key element of its maritime security.
Featured image: European Commission / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
