ARMED FORCES IN THE ITALIAN POLICY IN THE GREATER MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the role of the Italian Armed Forces in implementing the country’s foreign policy priorities in the Greater Mediterranean. Traditionally, Russian and Italian studies have focused on Italy’s diplomacy and «soft power», although in recent years the country’s leadership has paid increasing attention to the involvement of armed forces abroad as part of various missions. The scientific relevance of this article is determined by the need for scientific understanding of this trend. The purpose of this article is to define the normative framework for these missions, typologize them, analyze them on certain examples, and determine their outcomes. The author notes that among foreign missions, the participation in multilateral peacekeeping operations and military interventions prevails. Italy strives to play a high role in them, but is almost never the main sponsor. Bilateral «military diplomacy» programs tend to be limited. As a result, Italy fails to transform military involvement into political influence and to become in reality a «protagonist» in the Greater Mediterranean. The results of the study conclude that Italy has sufficient capacity to pursue national interests and strengthen its influence in the key points of the Mediterranean basin, while larger bids for leadership will not be realized.