Ukraine war fatigue fuels defense-spending downgrade plan in Italy — SkimNews
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- Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini pushed Italy's projected defense windfall down from €21–22 billion to roughly €14 billion at a Thursday cabinet meeting — an up-to-€8 billion reduction tied to the EU's National Escape Clause (NEC) deficit-exemption scheme.
- Salvini's League party opposes sending military support to Ukraine and wants a deal with Moscow to end the conflict, contrasting with Meloni's firm backing for Kyiv and leaving her in a minority on the war.
- Italy requested €8 billion in cheap loans from the EU's SAFE defense fund, down from an original €14.9 billion, while IAI analyst Alessandro Marrone warned the government must urgently decide on both NEC and SAFE to enable defense ministry planning for next year.
- Leonardo CEO Lorenzo Mariani told a Sept. 23 parliamentary hearing that SAFE is 'the first, real useful measure that Europe has come up with,' noting Portugal is buying Italian-built FREMM frigates with SAFE funds.
- Meloni committed to NATO's 5% of GDP spending target and claims Italy reached 2.8% this year including domestic security, though this year's budget breakdown has yet to be published.
- Opposition parties are amplifying war fatigue: challenger Roberto Vannacci calls for an end to Russia sanctions, while a Five Star party member poll found over 90% opposed European rearmament and blamed arms to Ukraine for prolonging the war.
Why it matters: Salvini's €8 billion cut to Italy's defense windfall leaves Meloni's NATO 5%-of-GDP pledge unbacked by published budget figures, while Leonardo's CEO and Rome-based analysts warn that the government's indecision on NEC and SAFE loans is already harming Italian defense industry planning for next year.
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