Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday called President Donald Trump's comments about NATO allies’ role in Afghanistan "unacceptable," pushing back against suggestions they "stayed a little back" from the front lines.

"Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, NATO activated Article 5 for the first and only time in its history: an extraordinary act of solidarity toward the United States," Meloni wrote on X.

"In that massive operation against those who fueled terrorism, Italy responded immediately alongside its allies, deploying thousands of troops and taking full responsibility for Regional Command West, one of the most significant operational areas of the entire international mission," she said.

Meloni explained that Italy’s nearly two decades of involvement in Afghanistan came at a significant cost, with 53 Italian soldiers killed and more than 700 wounded during combat operations, security missions and training programs for Afghan forces.

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"For this reason, statements that minimize the contribution of NATO countries in Afghanistan are unacceptable, especially if they come from an allied Nation," she added. 

"Italy and the United States are bound by a solid friendship, founded on a shared community of values and historical collaboration, which is even more necessary in the face of the many current challenges. But friendship requires respect, a fundamental condition for continuing to ensure the solidarity at the heart of the Atlantic Alliance."

Trump has repeatedly questioned NATO allies’ reliability, including whether they would come to the United States’ aid if ever called upon.

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He unsettled U.S. allies across Europe, including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, after downplaying their contributions in Afghanistan during an interview with FOX Business host Maria Bartiromo at the World Economic Forum.

"We’ve never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them," Trump said of NATO. "You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this and that. And they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."

Trump later appeared to soften his remarks in a Saturday post on Truth Social, praising the sacrifices of British troops in Afghanistan.

"The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America! In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken. The U.K. Military, with tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the U.S.A.!). We love you all, and always will!" he wrote.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., also highlighted the broader international toll of the war, citing the sacrifices of 31 allied nations that fought alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

He thanked those countries for answering the call after Sept. 11, noting that 159 troops from Canada, 90 from France, 62 from Germany, 44 from Poland and 43 from Denmark were among those killed in the conflict.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility on Monday for a suicide blast at a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistan that killed more than half a dozen people.

Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, told The New York Times the attack was carried out by one person linked to ISIS-Khorasan, commonly known as ISIS-K, one of the terrorist group’s most lethal branches.

ISIS-K has claimed it targets Chinese citizens as retaliation for Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs, a Muslim minority group, and has also denounced the Afghan government's relationship with China, according to the Times.

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Kabul police command spokesman Khalid Zadran said on X that seven people were killed in the explosion, including six Afghans and one Chinese national. Several others were injured.

Zadran said the blast occurred around 3 p.m. local time at a Chinese noodle restaurant in Kabul's Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood that was jointly run by Abdul Majeed, a Chinese Muslim from Xinjiang province, his wife, and an Afghan named Abdul Jabbar Mahmoud.

"The explosion occurred near the kitchen. The nature of the explosion is still unknown, investigations are ongoing," he added.

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China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that one Chinese national was killed and five others were wounded in the attack.

Jiakun offered condolences to the families and said officials from the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan have visited the wounded in the hospital. He said China urged the Afghan government to do more to keep Chinese nationals and institutions safe.

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"China strongly condemns and firmly opposes any form of terrorism, supports Afghanistan and regional countries in jointly fighting all forms of terrorist and violent activities," he said.

"Given the current security situation in Afghanistan, the Ministry once again advises Chinese nationals not to travel to Afghanistan in the near future and asks Chinese nationals and companies already in Afghanistan to take extra precautions, step up security and depart high-risk regions as soon as possible."