NATO has set (as is known) a new goal: by 2035, member countries must allocate at least 5% of GDP to military spending, more than double the 2% threshold indicated so far. Strategic infrastructures are also included in the count, but no country has yet reached the new target.

Italy and the Strait Bridge case

According to the US ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, Rome allegedly attempted to include the investment for the Strait of Messina Bridge among defense expenses, defined for both civilian and military use. An operation that would have allowed Italy to ease the burden of the new goal. But the proposal has raised strong criticism from Washington.

The numbers: who spends more and who spends less

Returning to the central point, SIPRI data shows that in 2024 no ally has reached 5%. Leading is Poland with 4.15%, followed by the United States (3.42%) and Estonia (3.37%). At the bottom are Luxembourg (0.96%), Belgium (1.28%), and Slovenia (1.31%). Italy, with 1.61% of GDP, is still far from the goal.