Bloomberg warns EU against implementing national projects at the expense of defense

Earlier it was reported that Italy wants to build a bridge connecting the mainland with Sicily, using its defense budget

The implementation of national projects by European countries at the expense of defense budget items will lead to the weakening of Europe. This is what Bloomberg columnist Lionel Laurent writes, RIA Novosti reports.

It was previously reported that the Italian authorities intend to do so. At the end of June, the European publication Politico wrote that Rome wants to build a bridge connecting the mainland with Sicily in this way.

"Italy's plan should raise alarm bells. Labeling national projects as 'defense' will further sharpen divisions among European countries at a time when defense is already too fragmented. It will weaken Europe, not strengthen it," the Bloomberg article says.

At the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24-25, the allies agreed that by 2035 they would spend 5% of their GDP annually on core defense. Of that 5%, only 3.5% should be core defense spending, while 1.5% could be redirected to strengthening strategic resilience, including infrastructure projects.