Defence Minister Guido Crosetto stressed the need for higher defence spending—aiming beyond NATO’s 2% GDP benchmark—and called for a continental European military framework. He also addressed strategic raw-material dependencies, the Israel–Gaza conflict, and Ukraine’s security under UN guarantees
Raising the bar. “We need greater investment in defence,” Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto declared Thursday at the Trento Festival of Economics.
- Italy will meet NATO’s 2% of GDP spending target this year through accounting adjustments, as Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti confirmed in April to the parliament.
- However, Crosetto warned that allies will soon press for 3–3.5% of GDP—while the Americans aim for 5%.
- Although these levels are “not immediately attainable” for Italy, he affirmed that “our goal in the coming years must be to increase expenditure.”
Toward a continental European defence. Crosetto urged a stronger, integrated European defence—despite “strong resistance” born of excessive national ambitions.
- Responding to France’s proposal for exclusively European procurement, which aims to prioritise the EU’s own industry, he observed: “It makes sense in principle, but there is only one nation whose products are 100% European,” which is France indeed.
- He argued that competition is vital: “Production capacity is too slow and costly compared with the US or Russia, who achieve more with fewer resources.”
- He envisioned a continental alliance encompassing all 27 EU states—plus Turkey, Norway and Eastern partners—to form “an even greater alliance than political Europe.”
Securing critical raw materials. Emphasising the EU’s total reliance on China for key resources, Crosetto pointed to Africa as the “future supplier of raw materials.”
- He stressed the importance of forging partnerships with the continent to secure supplies critical to Europe’s defence and industry.
International security stance. Crosetto also addressed several global issues.
- Israel–Gaza: Upholding Italy’s support for a two-state solution, he insisted that a friendly nation to Israel, as Italy is, must remind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “when he is in error” over the Gaza offensive.
- Ukraine’s Future: He argued that “Europe must not accept Ukraine’s demilitarisation” as Russia had demanded.
- “Our forecast of Russia’s reluctance to pursue peace is proving accurate—let us hope the US recognises this too,” he said.
- Crosetto proposed UN-guaranteed multinational forces in Ukraine’s defence, noting that Italy’s longstanding UN peacekeeping role makes Rome a natural supporter.
- “If the UN can become the forum in which the rules of peace and truce in Ukraine are defined, it would be absurd not to support it—and I am confident the Italian Parliament would unite behind such a step.”
