Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated that the country is not equipped to repel a potential military attack, particularly from Russia. According to him, decades of underinvestment in the defense sector have left Italy vulnerable. This is reported by UNN with reference to The Guardian.
We are not ready for a Russian attack, nor for an attack by another nation. I have been saying this for a long time. I think our job is to put this country in a position to defend itself if a madman decides to attack us - I mean not just Putin, I mean anyone.
Crosetto emphasized that Italy, like other NATO members, has agreed to increase defense spending over the next decade, but this step remains unpopular among citizens. Currently, the country spends only 1.5% of its GDP on defense, while it plans to increase this figure to 5% by 2035.
According to the minister's estimates, the creation of an autonomous air defense system in Italy is possible no earlier than 2031. At the same time, his warnings drew criticism from Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who stated that the main threat to the country is migrants, not Russia.
Recall
Recently, President Zelenskyy stated that the first joint plant with Ukraine for weapons production is being built in Denmark. Kyiv hopes that Italy will also join in the implementation of similar projects for joint production.