A statement issued on the Italian Foreign Ministry’s official website notes that the assembly will take place in the Turkish city of Antalya, on May 14 and 15, chaired by the alliance’s Secretary General Mark Rutte, as part of the preparations for the NATO summit in June, in the Netherlands.

A message issued by the opposition Five Star Movement (M5S), and released by the Italian Parliamentary Press Agency (AGENPARL), points out that Antalya will be the venue for the new military spending commitments, which will be formalized in the Dutch city of The Hague by the leaders of the transatlantic bloc on June 24-25.

According to the M5S, Italy has already committed to reaching a military budget equivalent to 2.0 percent of its Gross Domestic Product this year, which will mean a “huge hit of at least 10 billion euros,” but everything suggests that these expenses will have to be increased gradually.

The release issued by that political force stated that the objective of 3.5 percentage points for traditional military spending must be reached in 2032, to which 1.5 percent for security in a broad sense will be added, with the commitment to increasing by 0.2 percentage points annually for seven years.

The NATO foreign ministers’ meeting will also discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the allies’ support for Kiev, and coincide with the possible holding of peace negotiations in another Turkish city, Istanbul, on May 15.

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