Italy to Raise Defense Budget to 2% After US Demands EU Step Up
Italian Marines take position during an amphibious assault demonstration at sea near Sorstraumen in Norway.
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Italy will reveal plans to raise defense spending to meet NATO’s target by the end of June at the latest as it responds to potential US disengagement, according to people familiar with the matter.
The country currently allocates just 1.5% of gross domestic product on military outlays, lagging peers and staying stubbornly below the 2% threshold mandated by the alliance. It will reach that target by calculating other accessory elements that are related to national security, such as expenditure on its coast guard, the people said, declining to be named because the discussions are sensitive.