(Finance) – The Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met today at Palazzo Chigi NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. At the center of the meeting was role of the Atlantic Alliance as an essential pillar for common security, in the face of multiple areas of instability, as well as the contribution of Italy’s foreground in Euro-Atlantic defence at 360 degrees.
Also discussed was support for legitimate defense of Ukrainethe strengthening of European pillar of the Alliance also in favor of an increasingly innovative and competitive defense industry, as well as the necessary adaptation of NATO to new security challenges.
Furthermore, the strategic need for full implementation of the new approach towards the southern flank decided at the Washington Summit.
“It is a great pleasure for me to welcome Chigi to Palazzo Chigi today Mark Rutte in his new role as Secretary General for NATO”, began the Premier at the press conference, speaking about “very important and extremely responsible” position in this very complex phase, characterized by the “destabilizing effects” of the Russian-Ukrainian war and by “a situation of instability which has opened up new fronts and which requires everyone to know how to modulate defense action in a different way”.
“Today’s meeting – continued Meloni – was an opportunity to reiterate, for our part, the fundamental role that Italy plays
within the Atlantic Alliance” both in contributing to NATO’s budget and for “presence” along the eastern flank, in the Mediterranean and in the Balkans.
“At the center of our conversation – added the President – was also the support of the allies for the legitimate defense of Ukraine“, with a view to “build the best possible conditions for a just peace“. Meloni recalled that in 2025, Rome will host the Ukrainian Recovery Conference, an “important event” which will serve to guarantee “the use of the interest generated by immobilized Russian assets”.
Meloni recalled that It is essential to work on a European Defense Industry “innovative and competitive” and recalled that the Italian defense represents “an excellence international recognized by all” and that “the alliance must increasingly
turn his gaze to the southern flank
Secretary Rutte, for his part, expressed appreciation for Italy’s commitment to invest at least 8.2 billion in defense and to respect the commitment to invest at least 2% of GDP in defense.