Meloni Lifts Italy Defence Spending to 2.8% of GDP as NATO Reassesses Drone Warfare
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 11
Meloni Lifts Italy Defence Spending to 2.8% of GDP as NATO Reassesses Drone Warfare
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 11
Summary
Italy will tell July's NATO summit it plans to spend about 2.8% of GDP on defence and security in 2026, up roughly 0.71 percentage points from last year.
Meloni said that increase should not dominate the debate, arguing the Ukraine war shows drones, satellites and data can outweigh traditional measures of military power.
Citing Ukraine's stalled front lines, she said drones costing about €20,000 have destroyed tanks worth millions, and urged allies to rethink the value of satellites, tanks and aircraft carriers.
Rome's higher total will rely heavily on domestic-security spending, including some police duties, that NATO rules now allow members to count toward defence budgets.
The push highlights wider alliance strains over military funding as Trump presses allies toward 3.5% of GDP and Britain's defence minister quit in a spending dispute.