Italian defence chief outlines strategy on military reforms reveals why Starlink collaboration on hold

Italy's defence minister forecasts that it will require the country 8-10 years to implement its defence enhancement plans and develop defence capabilities suited to modern challenges.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto spoke on potential defence reforms as well as a string of other issues, like Italy's involvement in Ukraine and Starklink partnership during an interview with the Italian La Repubblica on March 22.

Crosetto identified cyber threats as a key security challenge for Italy. As part of the defence strategy, he stressed the importance of infrastructure development and increasing the size of the armed forces. He also noted that the presence of US troops in Europe may decrease, while NATO is likely to raise the required defence spending level to 3.5% of GDP.

He suggested that a decision on this matter may come at the next June NATO summit, by which time he believes Italy will have made progress regarding its defence allocation in order to meet the current 2% mark.

When asked about the need for a common European army, Crosetto argued that it is unnecessary, emphasizing that NATO already provides an efficient defence framework. Instead, he proposed creating a unified European command and control centre that would integrate with NATO’s existing structure.

On the topic of Italy’s potential participation in an international mission in Ukraine, Crosetto echoed the proposal of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, namely that any such effort should not be exclusively Western-led but international. He indicated that the United Nations could provide a legal framework for such a mission, though it would not necessarily be a UN-led operation.

The minister also addressed Italy’s discussions with Elon Musk’s Starlink for military and government applications. He confirmed that talks are currently on hold, citing ongoing controversies surrounding Musk. 

The defence minister suggested that technical discussions might resume once the situation stabilizes, with the primary focus being national security. Previous reports suggest that Italy is reconsidering a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) deal with Starlink due to shifting geopolitical dynamics after PM Meloni has reportedly advised ministers to explore alternatives in response to changing international circumstances.

By Nazrin Sadigova