Italy ready to join coalition of European militaries
Italy said on 19 September that it would be joining a coalition of European militaries ready to react to crises near the continent's borders, as the country's new government rekindled ties with the EU.
The announcement follows a visit to Rome by French President Emmanuel Macron the day before for talks with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, aimed at turning the page on Italy's previous anti-EU populist government.
'Italy has officially communicated its readiness to join the European Intervention Initiative (EI2), providing its particular national expertise in the security sector in the Mediterranean region,' the prime minister's office said in a statement.
Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain have all signed up to the French-led initiative, which was set up outside the European Union and NATO frameworks, it said.
The idea behind EI2 is to be able to rapidly mount a joint military operation, evacuate civilians, or provide aid after a disaster.
Macron was behind the idea and has called for a 'real European army'.
Historical allies Paris and Rome showed unity this week - particularly on the hot-button issue of migration - after two years of rocky relations.
More from Defence Notes
-
![US Africa Command targets logistic solutions]()
US Africa Command targets logistic solutions
AFRICOM is seeking IT systems and supply chain management solutions to enhance interoperability and standardise logistical processes in its area of responsibility.
-
![Rheinmetall sales up by almost a quarter on wave of German spending]()
Rheinmetall sales up by almost a quarter on wave of German spending
Germany’s Rheinmetall released its 1H 2025 results on 7 August, continuing the strong growth of recent years. A particular highlight of the result’s presentation was the Skyranger air defence system for which the company is predicting sales of about US$8.2 billion from the German Government before the end of the year.
-
![Defence companies continue to ride procurement wave]()
Defence companies continue to ride procurement wave
Vehicle and technology companies are reporting substantial growth compared to the first half of 2024. Italy’s Fincantieri saw revenues jump 24% for the first half of the year compared to 2024 and Thales up 6.8% for the same period. General Dynamics reported second quarter revenue growth of 8.9% for the second quarter compared to last year and MilDef reported organic order intake growth of 58%.
-
![Singapore plots a way forward with new technology and formation reform]()
Singapore plots a way forward with new technology and formation reform
Singapore spends about 3.5% of GDP on defence and the section’s budget sits on high on the proportion of national spending. The country is investing in uncrewed technology, medium- and long-range fires and new submarines and ships with the hunt also on for new maritime patrol aircraft.
-
![World Defense Show promises bigger and better event for 2026]()
World Defense Show promises bigger and better event for 2026
At this year's IDEF in Istanbul, Shephard spoke to World Defense Show (WDS) CEO Andrew Pearcey about his event's strategic role in Saudi Arabia, its themes and new features for 2026 and how it has grown since its launch in 2022.
