Italy considers extending its defense budget as it struggles to meet NATO objectives
News Mania Desk / Piyal Chatterjee / 4th April 2025
Italy is contemplating the addition of police and coastguard services to its defense budget in order to demonstrate a rapid rise in security expenditure as it faces challenges in achieving U.S.-led NATO goals, according to two government sources. The strategy—described by a previous Italian ambassador to NATO as unconventional yet unlikely to violate the alliance’s regulations—highlighted the difficulties countries encounter as they react to demands from U.S. President Donald Trump to increase their contributions.
Italy, which has significant debt, is expected to allocate 1.49% of its gross domestic product to its defense budget for 2024, according to NATO data. This is below the military alliance’s current 2% goal, which Trump aims to increase to 5%.
Two unnamed government sources indicated that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni might incorporate the coastguard and several national police units into the defense budget to approach the 2% goal without additional funding.
A third government source indicated that any action would require cabinet approval, although it was not immediately apparent when the proposal would be reviewed. A factsheet on NATO’s site states that coastguards and police may be part of defense expenditures but only “in proportion to the personnel that are trained in military tactics, are armed as a military unit, and can function under direct military command in deployed operations.”
The European Commission has suggested that all 27 EU governments be allowed to raise defence expenditures by 1.5% of GDP annually for four years without invoking any disciplinary actions, as the bloc considers measures to address possible threats from Russia.
However, a public debt expected to climb to nearly 138% of GDP from 135.3% in 2024 restricts Rome’s flexibility, prompting Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti to suggest to EU members a shared guarantee plan to support such expenditures while minimizing effects on national budgets.
