circumstances and the need to have a military component which is able to meet the priority needs of national defence. Clear priorities must therefore guide our choices in terms of allocation of resources for the acquisition, preparation, readiness and deployment of forces. 63. The nation has traditionally managed this situation of geopolitical uncertainty by providing a balanced military component, with multiple and valuable capabilities. It is obvious that financial resources are now an unavoidable constraint and that Italy will no longer be able to respond autonomously to all future security and defence needs. 64. This White Paper outlines new and realistic objectives for international security and defence which guide the action of the Ministry in an innovative way and facilitate the integration of the resources potentially provided by all the institutional actors. As was mentioned in Guidelines to this document, the new structure for national security and defence will be based on three points: European integration. National defence will be combined in primis with other EU partners. Although this involves a progressive and marked interdependence as well as a sharing of sovereignty, these nations are a rational choice and a political priority both for greater integration in the field of security and defence, and for the development of more structured and stronger but not exclusive cooperation with countries closer to us in terms of interests, historical and cultural ties and reference values. Transatlantic cohesion. The transatlantic community is the second and biggest guarantee for the defence of the nation. NATO, which has guaranteed peace in the EuroAtlantic area for nearly sixty years, remains the reference organization for this community. NATO has evolved over time, taking on a different, larger role, but it remains central to the context of collective defence. To date, only the Alliance between North America and Europe is able to dissuade, deter and provide military defence against any kind of threat. Global relations. Italy is an active member of the international community and participates in the inter-relational dynamics that are developed in this area both bilaterally and multilaterally. It recognizes the UN as the main and unavoidable reference for legitimacy, in particular with regards to issues of international security. - 36 -