The United States sent a clear message to their European allies not to resort to “creative accounting” to achieve the new NATO defense spending target, with Italy at the center of the proposal to calculate the Sicily Bridge as a military spending.

Along with the rest of the Alliance, Italy pledged to increase its defense spending to 5% of GDP, satisfying US President Donald Trump’s request at the Hague summit in June. This commitment has raised questions about whether an over -indebted and stagnant economy can respond, while opening the debate on whether the € 13.5 billion project linking Sicily to the Italian peninsula can be considered as defensive expense.

“I still had talks today with some countries adopting a very expanded interpretation of defense spending,” NATO ambassador Matthew Whitaker told the Bed Strategic Forum in Slovenia on Tuesday.

It is “very important” that the 5% goal is to concern defensive and related costs and the commitment to be “served”, the envoy underlined.

“We are not talking about bridges that have no strategic military value,” he added. “We are not talking about schools that, in a fantastic scenario, could be used for other military purposes.”

Asked if the bridge above the Messina strait falls into the category of legal defense spending, Whitaker was clear.

“I watch the situation very carefully,” said Matthew Whitaker. “The positive at this time for NATO, compared to the Wales Summit in 2014, is that we now have monitoring mechanisms.”

Several Italian officials and politicians are considering the possibility of a bridge planned in the Messina Strait as a military asset to be calculated in NATO’s defense spending.

One argument in favor of this proposal is that Sicily hosts significant military bases, including bases used by the alliance. In a April government document, the bridge was described as “strategic” for “national and international security” and stated that “it would play a crucial role in defense and security, facilitating the movements of Italian and Allied forces”.

So far, however, no decision has been taken. The idea is discussed at a ministerial level, between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defense and the Infrastructure responsible body. However, an official with the knowledge of the positions of the Ministry of Defense said that the matter was not put there.

The Italian Vice -President of the Government and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, who has undertaken the project, keeps the options open: “It could have double use to use for security reasons,” he said at a press conference last month.

The United States, however, is calling for evidence that the Allies are investing in battalions, artillery and tanks – that is, in a war of a war – and not in luxury mechanical projects. The idea of ​​the bridge to Sicily goes back to the era of Benito Mussolini, and was revived and was re -abandoned by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Witter estimates that, although Europe has increased its military spending, progress is not fast enough. As he tours the area to assure the allies that the US “is not going anywhere” in their NATO commitment, it sends three basic messages:

  • Lack of troops: “I am worried that there are not enough combat soldiers in Europe by the European countries themselves.”
  • Weak Development: “I believe that Europe must devote time to correct its own financial machine, instead of just trying to protect its industries.”
  • Cyber ​​thicks: “I really believe that if there is a land war in Europe again, the first attack will be cyberattack or some other form of hybrid energy.”

The latest observations are of particular importance, as one day earlier, the flight of European Commission President Ursula von der Laien received interference during landing in Bulgaria. Authorities estimated that the interference was probably caused by Russia.