Giorgia Meloni used a Lower House session on Thursday to range across NATO spending targets, European unity on Ukraine and sanctions on Israel. She also made a pointed defence of her own record.
Meloni told the Lower House that Italy will attend next month’s NATO summit in Turkey with 2.8% of GDP committed to defence and security — a rise of 0.71 percentage points, driven largely by domestic security spending. The figure falls short of the alliance’s new 5% target but represents, she argued, significant and demonstrable progress. “We are ready to assume our responsibilities on defence,” she said.
Ukraine and sanctions on Russia
On the war in Ukraine, Meloni was unequivocal. “Supporting Kyiv and maintaining pressure on Moscow remains the only way to open a round of negotiations. That is why we support the 20th package of European sanctions.”
She added that Europe needs to identify “an authoritative figure” to represent it in any future peace talks, and that Italy’s position on Kyiv remains unchanged.
EU decision-making
Meloni also used the address to rule out any move away from unanimity in EU decision-making, a reform frequently proposed as a means of making the bloc more agile. “I don’t believe the EU should be a club where the strongest impose their will on others,” she said.
Meloni added that political solutions can be found even on the most divisive issues, and that Europe’s real problem lies in whether agreed positions are subsequently honoured.
Ben-Gvir and the flotilla
Meloni reiterated Italy’s support for EU sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank and called explicitly for Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to be added to the list. Ben-Gvir is under investigation in Rome in connection with the treatment of pro-Palestinian flotilla activists — including Italian nationals — detained at Ashdod after being intercepted in international waters.
The Israeli had this week mocked Italy in a social media post. Meloni did not let the comment pass. “I take this opportunity to return to sender the statements made by the minister himself, which are unacceptable to Italy and undignified for Israel.”
The parliamentary exchange
The session’s sharpest moment came in an exchange with the Five Star Movement. When M5S lawmaker Francesco Silvestri suggested Meloni wore knee pads to be more comfortable kneeling before Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the premier hit back with evident anger.
“Colleague Silvestri, what you cannot accept is that there is a woman who has got to where she has got to without ever wearing knee pads, without favouritism and without shortcuts,” she said. “It bothers you that the first female prime minister came from the Right because you were not capable of putting forward one.”
