Italy will significantly increase its defence and security spending next year, but Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni argued that NATO allies should focus less on spending targets and more on adapting to the changing nature of warfare.
Addressing parliament on Thursday, Meloni said she would inform NATO leaders at next month's summit that Italy plans to allocate around 2.8% of GDP to defence and security in 2026, up from last year's level. Much of the increase will come from domestic security spending, including certain police functions that can now be counted under updated NATO guidelines.
Meloni cautioned against judging military strength solely by defence budgets or conventional weapons systems. She said the conflict in Ukraine had demonstrated how rapidly battlefield realities are evolving.
According to Meloni, drones have transformed the front line, making movement difficult and allowing relatively inexpensive systems to destroy costly military hardware.
She argued that NATO members should reassess the strategic value of assets such as satellites, data infrastructure and cyber capabilities alongside traditional equipment like tanks and aircraft carriers.
Highlighting the growing role of technology in warfare, Meloni said some countries are investing in training young people with gaming skills to operate drones remotely in future conflicts.
She suggested that data protection and digital capabilities are becoming as important as conventional military assets, calling for a broader debate among Western allies about how to prepare for future security challenges.
The discussion comes as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to press NATO allies to spend more on defence, arguing that European governments have relied too heavily on American military support. Trump has urged allies in Europe and Asia to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP.
The debate has also exposed tensions within allied governments. Britain's Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on Thursday following a dispute over military funding, saying the government had not committed sufficient resources to address growing security threats.
Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said he understood Healey's frustrations, noting that many defence ministers face similar challenges as governments balance security demands with budget pressures.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 3rd of September, covering the latest developments.
The Iranian Army has again struck at U.S. bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in retaliation for U.S. attacks on southern and western parts of Iran late on Tuesday, which reportedly killed 18 people and injured more than 100 others.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
Southern Chinese provinces were bracing for more torrential rain on Friday after Typhoon Saudel triggered severe flooding, swamping vehicles, collapsing at least one building and forcing mass evacuations.
President Donald Trump is leaving more than a paper trail from his time in office. The U.S. is now minting commemorative $1 coins for America’s 250th anniversary, featuring a portrait of the sitting president.
Pacific Island leaders expressed concern about China's Pacific missile test at their annual summit, though Nauru formally dissented, in a meeting largely overshadowed by Beijing's objections to Taiwan's presence.
China’s southern coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong are bracing for more torrential rain after Typhoon Saudel triggered widespread flooding, swept away vehicles and caused a three-storey building to collapse.
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