Italy confirmed it had achieved NATO’s longstanding defence spending target of 2% of GDP, a milestone announced on Thursday by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defence Minister Guido Crosetto.
The breakthrough, reached a decade after the alliance’s original 2014 pledge, comes weeks before NATO leaders gather in Washington for a summit expected to endorse stricter spending thresholds.
Rome’s compliance aligns with a broader European surge in military investment amid heightened geopolitical tensions. However, the 2% target now appears set to become obsolete, as incoming Secretary General Mark Rutte proposes raising the benchmark to 5% of GDP. Under his plan, 3.5% would fund direct defence capabilities, with 1.5% allocated to broader security initiatives.
Speaking at an informal NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Turkey, Tajani suggested an alternative framework: 3% for defence and 2% for security, arguing the split better balances “strategic priorities and fiscal realities.” His remarks reflect broader debates within the alliance, as members grapple with the war in Ukraine and growing global instability.
The government prioritised modernising its F-35 fleet and naval assets while expanding military support for Kyiv. Yet critics note the 2% figure includes non-combat expenditures such as pensions, urging stricter accountability for operational readiness.
Former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte accused the administration of incumbent head of government Giorgia Meloni of militarising the country instead of “urgent measures on healthcare, salaries, and bills.”
The money for urgent measures on healthcare, salaries, and bills? No. But a feast on weapons? Yes, immediately. The Meloni Government celebrates the instant achievement of 2% of GDP in Defense. Tajani has already upped the ante: let’s make it 3%! Who knows how much higher we’ll go after saying yes to the Rearmament Plan and after the NATO summit.
