Italian Government
Minister Crosetto at the 'E5' Defense Ministers' Meeting
"Today we confirmed our determination to strengthen the European pillar of NATO, which remains central, to enhance the role of defense as a prerequisite for peace, security, and democracy, and to reaffirm support for Ukraine: we know that only a just and lasting peace can ensure stability in Europe.
However, what is needed is credible deterrence, which includes cyber defense, integrated air and missile defense, an increase in land forces, strengthening of space and submarine technology, countering disinformation and hybrid threats. The violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones concerns not only one nation but the entire Atlantic Alliance. Solidarity must be total, as required by the commitments signed and reiterated by every Italian government so far, as well as the determination to react if necessary,” the Minister said at the press conference at the end of the Meeting, and then added:
“We emphasized the urgency of investing in new technologies so that defense investments can generate civilian know-how and widespread industrial growth. We will seek to define a path that creates common structures in areas such as research and the procurement of critical materials. We reiterated that today war is not only physical: cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns strike our democracies every day. Therefore, we must decide how to respond to these attacks. We recalled that Ukraine must be supported in strengthening its operational capabilities and achieving full interoperability with the EU and NATO. Finally, we stressed the importance of a clear and unified strategy for the Balkans, a region crucial for the security of the continent.”
The meeting was an opportunity to analyze the highly unstable geo-strategic scenario and to assess common initiatives for the global challenges that define our time, from international security to the stability of the continent, with the goal of strengthening cooperation among allies and building a futture of peace and prosperity.
Il Ministro Crosetto alla riunione del formato E5 dei Ministri della Difesa
