Rome – Striking a balance between mediation and assertiveness, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is heading to the NATO summit in Ankara, which will bring together the 32 member states on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Turkish capital. The focus will be on the war in Ukraine, the consequences of tensions between the U.S. and Iran, and the U.S. demand for higher defense spending by European nations.
On Tuesday evening, Meloni first attended the official dinner to which host Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had invited the heads of state and government. The two had coordinated their positions in advance during a phone call and reaffirmed the importance of the transatlantic bond as well as that of the alliance’s southern flank. The alliance’s actual working session will take place on Wednesday.
Defense Spending Dominates NATO Summit
Money remains the dominant issue. One year after the Hague summit, at which Italy committed to increasing defense spending to five percent of gross domestic product by 2035, Rome is now proposing an interim step: a total commitment of 2.8 percent of GDP for defense and security by 2028. Of this, just over two percent is allocated to traditional defense, with the remainder—around 15 billion euros—going toward a new security sector encompassing energy, cybersecurity, and border protection.
Her appearance is being overshadowed by new developments from Washington. Shortly before the summit, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a mocking meme on his social media platform featuring the Italian prime minister. Meloni does not intend to let this derail her plans: She aims to act as a bridge-builder between a demanding Washington and a unsettled Europe—and may even see the rift with Trump as an opportunity to raise her own profile.
