Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni once again confirmed that Italy will honor its commitments to NATO, stressing that increased investment in defense will proceed in a sustainable way and always in line with the national interest.
At the press conference held at the close of the NATO summit in Ankara, Meloni addressed the priorities of her government, her relationship with US President Donald Trump, alarming developments in Iran, support for Ukraine and the accusations leveled against her by the Italian opposition.
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“We want to honor our commitments on defense spending. We are doing so and will continue to do so, but in a sustainable way, setting the timing, methods and priorities ourselves according to the context,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
She stressed that money invested in defense must produce direct benefits for the country by supporting Italian industry, scientific research and the development of local areas.
“The investments we make must stay in Italy, in our factories, in our research centers and in our local areas. That means more security, but also more qualified jobs, more research and not checks ending up abroad,” she said.
Commenting on the repeated attacks and criticism from US President Donald Trump in recent weeks, Meloni said she has no reason to regret the positions she has taken so far.
“I do not regret anything I have done. I will not change my strategy. I made this political investment because I believe in the unity of the West. It is not a strategy that began with Trump’s arrival, but it is the approach I have with all my interlocutors. With Trump we are close on some issues, such as immigration or ‘woke’ culture. Things are developing as we expected, but I am not changing my mind,” she said.
Meloni described the summit as “short but intense” and reiterated that NATO remains a united alliance, aware of the challenges it faces and determined to strengthen its capabilities.
“I believe this is the most important message of the Ankara summit. NATO is a united alliance, aware of the challenges ahead and determined to grow stronger. Italy fully shares these objectives and this approach. At the summit we presented a very concrete idea of security, a security that is not linked only to geopolitical balances, but directly affects the daily lives of citizens,” the prime minister said.
She said Italy took part in the summit with defense and security investments amounting to 2.8 percent of gross domestic product, stressing that the country is a reliable ally within NATO.
“Italy provides more military personnel than anyone else,” Meloni said.
The prime minister also focused on the impact of technology on the defense sector, noting that a tank costing millions of euros can be destroyed by a drone worth just 20,000 euros, while an operator trained to remotely pilot drones may prove deadlier than a sniper.
According to her, increasing defense funds is not enough unless it is also accompanied by control over strategic supply chains.
“If we increase financial resources without resolving the issue of control over the core defense supply chains, we risk paying to finance our own dependence,” she warned.
Meloni stressed that the sole guiding principle of her government remains the national interest.
Speaking about developments in the Middle East, the prime minister expressed concern over the situation in Iran.
“Very bad news is coming from Iran,” she said, adding that Italy’s position on the use of Italian military bases has not changed.
“Our position on the use of our bases is clear and we will maintain it,” Meloni stressed.
As for Ukraine, she reaffirmed Italy’s full support, but clarified that Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will represent her at the meeting with the so-called “Volunteers.”
“This is not a sign of disengagement. I have taken part in several international summits and I also have the obligation to deal with many other issues in Italy,” she explained.
At the end of the conference, Meloni also responded to the Italian opposition, which claims that the government is shifting funds from healthcare to defense.
“To say that we are taking funding away from hospitals to increase spending on weapons is ridiculous. If we are given fiscal room to increase our defense capacity, I will use it precisely to expand Italy’s capabilities and security,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni concluded.
