Latest news with #Crosetto
Saudi Gazette
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Italian defense minister warns of likely strong Iranian response to US strikes
ROME — Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto warned on Sunday that Iran is now highly likely to launch a strong response targeting U.S. interests, following American airstrikes on three of Iran's nuclear sites. In remarks to broadcaster TG1, Crosetto said the U.S. action marked a significant turning point in the conflict. 'A much bigger crisis opens up,' he said, emphasizing that Tehran could respond forcefully to American targets across the region. Crosetto's warning came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out what he described as "very successful" strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan. The strikes have intensified fears of a broader conflict engulfing the Middle East. In response, Iran called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, urging condemnation of what it labeled U.S. aggression and violations of international have been mounting since June 13, when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, triggering retaliatory missile attacks by then, at least 25 people in Israel have been killed, while Iranian officials report 430 dead and over 3,500 wounded from Israeli strikes, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. — Agencies
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
NATO breaking apart? Italy questions military alliance's existence after Macron shows Trump, France can secure Europe
The debate around the existence of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) has again heated up after Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Friday, June 20, 2025, that the military alliance no longer has a reason to exist. Crosetto made the remarks on the sidelines of a conference in Padua, according to Italian news agency ANSA.'Before, the US and Europe used to be the center of the world, now, there is everything else with which a relationship must be built,' Politico reported him as saying. He further stated, 'We often talk as if we were still living 30 years ago, but everything has changed.' In the last few years, the US' stance about sticking around with the alliance has also been seen shaking up as President Donald Trump has on several occasions warned that he is open to moving out of NATO. Trump, since his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, has constantly complained for a long time the European and Canadian governments in the mutual-defense bloc are freeloading on military spending by Washington. In an interview in December 2024 after winning the US presidential election, Trump was asked if he would consider the possibility of pulling out of NATO. Trump indicated that was an open question. 'If they're paying their bills, and if I think they're treating us fairly, the answer is absolutely I'd stay with NATO,' he told 'Meet the Press.' On being asked about considering pulling the U.S. out of the alliance. Trump had said, 'Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.' Live Events On the other hand, French President Emmanuel Macron said in May 2025 that he was ready to hold a discussion regarding the potential deployment of his country's nuclear weapons elsewhere in Europe. He had noted that the United States had already stationed nuclear-armed aircraft in Europe. Macron shared a post on X for the rest of Europe saying the Rafale fighter jet is calling. His post on Friday, June 20, 2025, showed an Apple iPhone with an incoming call from 'Rafale' and a close-up of the jet arcing over barren and rocky land. Now the Italian defense minister's comments ahead of the NATO leaders' summit in The Hague have raised fresh doubts about the unity of NATO partners. At the summit, the alliance is likely to give its agreement on a higher spending target of 5 percent of GDP to placate Trump. According to Crosetto, NATO has failed in its original mission. 'If NATO was created to guarantee peace and mutual defense, it must either become an organization that takes on this task by engaging with the Global South, and thus become something profoundly different, or we will not achieve the goal of having security within rules that apply to everyone,' he said. French President Macron's pitch to deploy nuclear weapons in Europe It all started in March 2025, when the French President proposed holding talks with European allies regarding how French nuclear weapons could help protect Europe. His comments had come at a time when many European leaders felt that they could no longer rely on Washington's nuclear commitment to Europe as Moscow's threat loomed large. The French President's X post made on Friday seems to be his latest attempt towards sending a loud and clear message to the rest of Europe about strengthening the combined defenses and acting independently on matters of continental security to reduce dependence on Washington.
Reuters
04-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Italy calls on EU to allow deficit leeway for defence spend over 20-30 years
ROME, June 4 (Reuters) - The European Union should allow member states to spread out potentially wider fiscal deficits linked to higher national defence spending up to 30 years from the four currently proposed, Italy's defence minister said on Wednesday. There is growing pressure in Europe to boost military spending to deter a potential attack from Russia and become less dependent on the United States for security, with Brussels announcing a plan earlier this year to mobilise some 800 billion euros ($910 billion). As part of this push, the European Commission has proposed allowing member states to raise defence spending by 1.5% of gross domestic product each year for four years without any disciplinary steps that would normally kick in once a deficit is more than 3% of GDP. "I think (the plan) is useful because it allows you to invest in defence during a dramatic time like this without affecting other important expenses, such as social spending. However, it should be spread over 20-30 years," Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told broadcaster SkyTG24. Italy has projected that its public debt will rise to almost 138% of GDP in 2026 before edging down the following year. "We do not want to make expenditures that we will offload onto a government that might come after ours in four years," said Crosetto, a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy party. "The 4 to 5 years are too few for us," he said. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said in April that Italy wanted to wait for the outcome of the NATO summit scheduled later in June before deciding whether to use the budget leeway or not. Twelve countries have so far applied. Italian officials have however said that tapping the scheme would set back Italy's plan to bring its deficit below the 3% of GDP ceiling in 2026, from 3.8% in 2024, a commitment that has helped strengthen investor confidence. ($1 = 0.8783 euros)
Egypt Today
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Italy slams Netanyahu for killing ‘thousands of innocent Palestinians, risking damaging Israel'
CAIRO – 23 May 2025: Italy's Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto emphasized on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'is wrong in killing thousands of innocent Palestinians,' warning that such actions 'risk damaging Israel itself.' 'The fact that this war is leading to the killing of thousands of innocent people is creating the conditions for Hamas to find even more consensus,' reported Italy's news agency ANSA, quoting Crosetto as saying at the Trento Economics Festival. The festival, taking place from 22 to 25 May in Italy's Trento, features the presence of representatives from top-notch European institutions as well as academics from around the world, business leaders, economists, and Nobel Prize winners. 'It is right for a friendly nation to say that Netanyahu is wrong, we must secure Palestine and give Palestine a future,' said Crosetto. 'I think it is right to tell Israel today that what is happening risks damaging Israel itself.' Israel has intensified its operations in Gaza since last week, killing hundreds of Palestinians over the past days, as part of its war that has persisted since October 2023. The war continues despite global condemnation, killing nearly 54,000 Palestinians predominantly women and children, according to the Gaza health authorities. Israel has also blocked humanitarian aid from reaching the 2.2 million residents of Gaza since March 2, pushing the enclave toward famine and leaving one in five residents facing starvation, according to UN estimates. Israel, who is facing unprecedented pressures from its closest allies over its handling of the war in Gaza, has pledged to resume a 'minimal' amount of humanitarian aid into the enclave after nearly three months of blockade#Egypt #Africa #MENAhttps:// — Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) May 21, 2025 Over the recent days, several European leaders have condemned Israeli handling of the war, including its persistent blockade of aid. On Tuesday, the European Union announced reviewing the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which spans political and economic ties between the two sides. The United Kingdom, France and Canada have called on the Israeli government to halt its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. In a joint statement, the three countries threatened 'concrete actions' against Israel in case of its failure to abide by the international humanitarian law. As Israel escalated its military operations, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed the 34th Arab League summit held in Baghdad on Saturday, called for global pressure on Israel to 'halt the massacre in Gaza.' Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for a halt to the deadly military strikes in Gaza, stating on Saturday that 'we no longer want to see the Palestinian people suffer.' Ireland's Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris accused Israel of conducting 'genocidal activity' and 'a consistent pattern of war crimes,' stating that his country will consider a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian territories.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Italy expects NATO to raise defence spending target to between 3.5% and 5% of GDP
By Angelo Amante, Giuseppe Fonte ROME (Reuters) -NATO will raise the defence spending target for its member nations to between 3.5% and 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) from the current 2% at the next alliance summit in June, Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Wednesday. Under pressure from the United States to raise its outlays on security, Italy said it would meet this year the 2% target through a series of accounting changes. Proposals have been drafted to boost Italy's defence budget while limiting any impact on its strained state coffers. "The Italian government will express itself and discuss its ideas (at the June summit), and there NATO will make a decision," Crosetto said, replying to questions in the lower house of parliament. Raising Italy's defence budget to a target level of 5% of GDP on paper would require more than 60 billion euros ($68 billion), a commitment that might be tough to meet for Italy, which sees its massive public debt rising to almost 138% of GDP in 2026 before edging down the following year. However, Crosetto said the defence budget ought to include a series of items that were already factored into the overall government budget, such as money spent for operational capabilities, communications and space policies. He also mentioned spending aimed at increasing the resilience of critical infrastructure and improving military mobility. In reply to the opposition in parliament, who believe boosting the defence budget would take money away from Italy's social spending, Crosetto said it was ultimately up to parliament to set out the target. "We are a parliamentary republic and the budget is discussed in this Chamber and voted on in this Chamber, so I will take note of what NATO decides and what parliament subsequently decides," he said. ($1 = 0.8822 euros)
