Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has issued a stark warning, stating the nation is unprepared for a potential military attack from Russia or any other country. Speaking to reporters in Rome on the sidelines of the presentation of the Vespucci tall ship’s world tour budget, Crosetto attributed this vulnerability to two decades of underinvestment in defense.
“For some time, I have been saying that we are not ready for a Russian attack or an attack from another nation,” Crosetto stated. “I believe we have the duty to put this country in a position to defend itself if some madman decided to attack us—I’m not saying Putin, I’m saying anyone.”
He emphasized that the shortfall cannot be quickly remedied, noting, “We are not prepared because we haven’t invested more in defense over the last twenty years, and twenty years cannot be recovered in one or two years.”
Addressing Italy’s NATO commitments, the Minister highlighted that Italy is already one of the top contributors to the alliance’s eastern flank. However, he pointed to the need to also consider the southern flank. Crosetto indicated that any request for increased contributions would need to be formal, noting he had so far only seen a statement from outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and not an official request to Italy. “If we are asked, we will decide,” he said.
Crosetto further criticized the international response to ongoing global crises, calling for an acceleration of efforts. “We are running out of time; the climate, if factors remain unchanged, can only get worse. It has worsened and can only be dramatic for all of us,” he asserted. “We have a duty to do everything to reverse a course towards a cliff that appears to me to be unstoppable and ever faster.”
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