Joint press statements

Prime Minister Meloni, dear Giorgia,

It is a pleasure to meet again here in the Eternal City.  

And thank you for welcoming me and my delegation and indeed for our discussions on a broad range of issues, all related to our defence and security.

Italy is one of NATO’s founders. It is a staunch and reliable Ally. You are contributing in many ways to Euro-Atlantic security.

You lead NATO’s new battlegroup in Bulgaria.

You continue to provide troops to NATO deployments, as you said, in Hungary and Latvia.

Your jets protect NATO airspace and your navy keeps crucial seaways open.

Italy is once again indeed leading our peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, helping to foster stability in the Western Balkans.

And I look forward to working with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, as the next Chair of the NATO Military Committee - NATO’s highest military role.

Italy also hosts important NATO commands, such as Joint Force Command Naples, as well as the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Force in Sigonella.

And I want to thank you, Prime Minister, for being such a staunch supporter of Ukraine.
Strengthening our deterrence and defence is this Alliance’s top priority.
Because keeping our one billion people safe is NATO’s most sacred duty. And that is why we are ramping up our defence industrial capacity. Producing more shells, ships, and missiles than we have done for decades.
But we need to go further and faster. For our own deterrence, and to support Ukraine.

I want to welcome your recent announcement that Italy will invest 8.2 billion euros in new generation tanks and in revamping the Army’s ground forces. All Allies need to do more, to ensure that we continue to deter and defend. And, of course, that we all meet the commitment to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence.

Later today, I look forward to visiting Italian defence industry, which is vital to the transatlantic industrial base. I will visit it here, in Rome, and then tonight, I will host a dinner in Brussels with European defence industry, and also there, of course, Italy is present.
On Ukraine,
We are establishing a new command, NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, which will become fully operational in the coming months.
And we are well on our way to fulfilling our pledge to provide Ukraine with 40 billion euros of military support in 2024.
We will continue to stand by Ukraine. Because Ukraine’s fight is our fight.
NATO has a 360-degree concept of security. We must continue to be able to tackle threats from all directions.
That is why, at Italy’s initiative, and with their strong support and your personal leadership, Prime Minister, we have adopted an action plan for a stronger, more strategic and results-oriented approach towards our southern neighbourhood. 

Prime Minister Meloni, Dear Giorgia, thank you again for your steadfast commitment to our transatlantic Alliance. Thank you for our personal friendship.

I look forward to working together over the coming years, and we will have a lot of work on our hands.

Thank you so much. Grazie mille.