ROME - With a NATO summit in The Hague weeks away, Italy is intensifying efforts to reshape its standing within the alliance and assert a more influential role in its strategic direction, defence ministry sources say. At the centre of this shift is a plan to expand Italy’s military reserve by 10,000 personnel, including the recruitment of civilians with specialised technical skills such as engineering, cybersecurity, and electronic warfare, the sources say.

 The initiative may mark a rare injection of substance into what have often been rhetorical appeals for greater recognition, Il Messaggero newspaper quoted the sources saying. It also reflects a growing urgency within the Meloni government to demonstrate credibility both to NATO partners and to a domestic audience wary of increased defence spending amid a deteriorating global security environment and longstanding concerns that Italy underperforms relative to its contributions.

 While the government frames the move as a response to evolving threats, including hybrid warfare and instability along NATO’s southern flank, it is also part of a broader campaign to enhance Italy’s voice in alliance decision-making.

 The strategy, outlined in a draft communications and policy document prepared by the Italian Ministry of Defence and reported by Il Messaggero, underscores Rome’s ambition to move beyond its traditional supporting role and secure a place among NATO’s strategic leaders.

 Despite its consistent participation in NATO missions, Italy believes that it has long been underrepresented in senior leadership positions within the alliance. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has made it a priority to shift this dynamic, arguing that Italy’s contributions particularly in regions of growing strategic interest warrant greater influence.

 His frustration was evident in recent remarks criticising outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s decision to appoint a Spanish diplomat as special envoy for the alliance’s southern flank, a role Italy had lobbied for. Crosetto described the decision as a “betrayal” and a missed opportunity for Italy to assume a leadership position in a region it considers a strategic priority.

 Italy has long advocated for greater NATO engagement along its southern frontier, encompassing the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Sahel. Crosetto and other Italian officials have warned that these areas are increasingly vulnerable to Russian and Chinese influence, irregular migration flows, terrorism, and hybrid threats. 

 As part of its strategy, Italy is calling for the establishment of a dedicated NATO structure to monitor and respond to developments in this region—an initiative aligned with Italy’s longstanding foreign policy priorities and security concerns.

 Through a mix of targeted military reforms, strategic lobbying, and geopolitical framing, Italy is seeking to not only meet its alliance obligations but also to reshape the way its role within NATO is defined.

 It remains to be seen whether the other main European players in NATO will listen to Italy’s bleating given the Meloni government’s reluctance to countenance the idea of putting boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of a mooted reassurance force after an eventual cease-fire. While increasing reserves by 10,000 is part of efforts by Crosetto to increase Italian defence spending to 2 percent pf GDP observers say it is only a drop in the ocean of efforts required to ramp up defence against the growing Russian threat to the Alliance.

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