Italy to Increase Defense Spending Under U.S. Pressure.

Italy to Increase Defense Spending

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that their country plans to increase defense spending to reach the NATO target of 2% of gross domestic product this year. According to Meloni, this goal is hoped to be achieved even earlier - by 2025. Currently, Italy allocates only 1.5% of its GDP to military spending, making it a less active participant among many partners.

The ongoing motivations for increasing defense spending are the rising geopolitical tensions and the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Furthermore, this decision is a response to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged NATO allies to spend up to 5% of their GDP. Meloni noted that the increase in spending will be achieved by raising defense expenditures and also reclassifying certain expenditures as defense-related.

Even considering Italy's high public debt, which exceeds 130% of GDP, Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti stated that measures to increase defense spending will not harm public finances. This initiative is part of Italy's strategy to enhance security and cooperation with its NATO allies.