LONDON 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Downing Street on Sunday for a highly anticipated defense summit hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Speaking to British media, Meloni called the moment “precious,” underscoring the importance of dialogue and coordination between nations during such challenging times.

She highlighted the shared commitment to achieving a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine amid its war with Russia, stressing that the West must remain united in its efforts to support Ukraine and avoid division.

“We are all very committed to a goal that we all want to achieve, which is a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Meloni stated.

“It is very important that we avoid the risk of the West dividing. I believe the UK and Italy can play an important role in bridge-building,” she added.

Starmer echoed her sentiments, calling the opportunity to meet with the Italian leader “fantastic” and affirming that both countries approach global issues with a similar mindset.

With Italy grappling with significant debt, Meloni's government has projected its defense spending will reach 1.61% of the country’s GDP by 2027.

However, this figure falls short of NATO's current target of 2%, a goal that US President Donald Trump has repeatedly advocated for increasing to 5%.

Despite this, Meloni has maintained strong ties with the Trump administration, positioning herself as a potential bridge between Europe and the US, particularly on defense matters.

Meloni has also expressed her support for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal to exclude defense spending from the EU's budgetary limits, a move that could offer Italy more flexibility in its financial commitments.

Starmer, for his part, has committed to increasing the UK's defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, up from the current 2.3%.

The British premier is expected to use the summit to urge other European nations to also ramp up their defense budgets.