Italian Defence Policy between NATO and the White Paper

The paper analyses the developments regarding the NATO agenda in view of the July 2016 Warsaw Summit. It also looks at Italy’s defence policy with respect to the Atlantic Alliance and the impact of the White Paper on International Security and Defence adopted by the Italian government in April 2015. The first chapter focuses on the operational readiness and defence investment commitments made by the Allies in response to the conflict in Ukraine and the crisis in relations with Russia. It also delves into the debate on possible measures to address the threats from NATO’s “Southern Flank,” including fundamentalist terrorism and instability in North Africa and the Middle East. The second chapter discusses Italy’s position within NATO, also with respect to the various Allies’ threat perceptions, and analyses the content and implementation of the White Paper and its contribution to the management of the current instability within NATO and beyond. The final chapter provides the framework for an Italian and transatlantic rethinking of how to address threats from NATO’s Southern Flank by means of a regional and thematic approach.

Paper prepared within the framework of the research project “Defence Matters”, with the support of NATO Public Diplomacy Division.