BRUSSELS

Europe is experiencing a historical phase marked by unprecedented instability, the worst since World War II, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Friday, ANSA news agency reported.

"We are in a historical period marked by unprecedented instability, the worst since the Second World War, with 59 active conflicts, 78 states involved in wars, and 17 countries that have suffered more than a thousand deaths," Crosetto said during a traditional holiday greeting at the Joint Operational Command.

He also highlighted hybrid threats that are unfolding on a global rather than a local scale.

"Our challenge is not to defend ourselves but to prevent crises because once they have erupted, it is always difficult to intervene, and even when we manage to stop the fighting, it drags on for years," he added.