Isabella Rauti advocates for European defense as a NATO pillar

Italian Undersecretary of State for Defense Isabella Rauti has emphasized the necessity of a common European defense as a complementary pillar to NATO. Speaking at the ‘Sette Idee’ festival in Milan, Rauti noted that the current global landscape faces unprecedented levels of conflict and new forms of hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks, disinformation, and threats to critical infrastructure.

Rauti clarified that European defense does not imply a single European army, but rather the sharing of operational capabilities, increased interoperability, and the development of common production standards. She highlighted the SAFE instrument, a €150 billion European tool for long-term loans to support defense investments and common acquisitions.

Furthermore, Rauti mentioned a model proposed by Defense Minister Guido Crosetto for a continental defense framework. This model aims to involve European countries outside the EU that share similar deterrence ideals, creating a broader Euro-Atlantic security framework based on shared responsibility and international law.