Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said the country will need at least a decade to meet NATO’s defence spending targets, citing fiscal limitations and the complexity of rebalancing national priorities. His comments come ahead of a crucial NATO summit set to take place in The Hague from June 24 to 25.
Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday, Tajani expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with allies before the summit. “I believe that we can do good work with NATO and arrive at The Hague summit with an agreement ready beforehand, so that NATO can demonstrate its unity,” he said.
According to NATO data, Italy spent just 1.49% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2024—well below the alliance’s current benchmark of 2%. Although Rome has pledged to reach the 2% target by 2025, much of this will be achieved through revised accounting practices, which include defence-related expenses that were previously excluded.
Despite mounting pressure from the United States and other NATO members for increased defence contributions, Italian officials have warned against sudden hikes. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament that it was “not possible” for Italy to meet US demands for members to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP. He also described an intermediate target of 3.5% as “not easy.”
Crosetto underscored the broader economic realities Italy faces, including a towering public debt that is expected to rise to nearly 138% of GDP by 2026. “We are maintaining a conservative stance on the matter because we do not want other key investments, such as those on public health or social spending, to be affected,” he said, noting that any decision on defence spending would require approval from national parliaments across the alliance.
As NATO leaders prepare to meet in The Hague, Italy’s position underscores the balancing act many member states face—between meeting collective security commitments and maintaining domestic economic stability.
Melissa Enoch
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