Ukraine and military spending, Meloni-Stoltenberg summit. Salvini attacks Macron –

An hour face to face to discuss current issues on the Atlantic agenda in the context of the preparation of the NATO summit which will be held in Washington from 9 to 11 July. That’s how long the meeting at Palazzo Chigi between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, lasted. During the meeting, the Prime Minister reiterated “the Italian expectation” that at the US summit “concrete decisions can be adopted in response to the challenges characterizing the Southern flank, in coherence with the 360-degree approach to Euro-Atlantic security envisaged by the Concept Strategy of NATO”. With a statement released at the end of the meeting, NATO explained that the meeting in Rome served to discuss preparations for the July summit, “including work to further strengthen NATO and provide greater support to Ukraine”. “When the leaders meet in Washington – Stoltenberg wrote in X – we will take further decisions to support Ukraine, strengthen our defenses and collaborate more with partners”. Among the issues addressed in Chigi, according to what was communicated by NATO, was also that of “obtaining a more equitable sharing of burdens”. As stated in the ‘Multi-annual defense planning document for the three-year period 2023-2025’ of the Ministry of Defence, the member states of the Alliance have signed the formal commitment «to aim, by 2024, for 2% of defense expenditure compared to the national GDP”. As regards Italy, it is explained, «a value of 1.46% is expected in 2023, while an almost constant value is expected in 2024 and 2025, with a percentage of 1.43% and 1.45%”.

«Italy remains below the 2% threshold – we read once more in the document -. In this sense, it is necessary to give greater impetus to the gradual plan that aligns the Defense/GDP budget ratio to the average of the other European Allies and Canada, aiming for the objective of 2% in 2028″. Last April 25, speaking at the Atlantik-Brucke event, Stoltenberg stated that «this year two thirds of the allies will respect the commitment to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense. Among these is Germany (while the United Kingdom will spend 2.5% of GDP on defense by 2030, ed.). But we must go further.” «I really understand that it is not easy to increase defense spending – he admitted -. When you spend more on defense, you spend less on something else, on health, on education, on infrastructure. This is also why all allies reduced defense spending following the end of the Cold War, because tensions decreased. But if we reduce defense spending when tensions decrease, we must be able to increase it when tensions increase, as now.” In the meeting in Chigi Stoltenberg then praised “Italy’s support for Ukraine, including the supply of a Samp/T air defense system with France”. System that should be part of the ninth aid package for Kiev. The new interministerial decree will be classified like the previous ones but is still expected before the G7 in June in Puglia. «Italy – NATO recalls – has also signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, contributing to strengthening Ukraine’s defenses, supporting its armaments industry and countering hybrid threats». Stoltenberg also praised Meloni for “Italy’s numerous contributions to the Alliance, including the leadership of the NATO battlegroup in Bulgaria and the contribution of forces to the battlegroups in Hungary and Latvia. Italy also regularly participates in ‘Baltic Air Policing’ and NATO maritime operations.” Finally, Stoltenberg thanked Italy «for its commitment to the NATO KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and the NATO training mission in Iraq» and welcomed «Italy’s key role in the development of the of NATO towards its southern neighbourhood”. There is no mention in the official notes of the issue raised by French President Emmanuel Macron of the sending of European troops in the event that Moscow breaks the front lines in eastern Ukraine. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has already ruled out sending soldiers into the field, while the other deputy prime minister and secretary of the League, Matteo Salvini, has once once more attacked Macron: «He needs to be treated. Anyone who thinks like this, and says it as if it were normal, is dangerous. If Macron has a great desire to fight, he should go to Ukraine.”