" There is no NATO secretary or one nation that decides the line for all the others ." The Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto , explains this in an interview with La Stampa where he comments on the invitation of the general secretary of NATO, Stoltenberg, to put an end to the ban on using weapons to strike military targets in Russia, underlining that " it applies to Stoltenberg . But it also applies to Macron, when he said 'We will send our soldiers to Ukraine' ."

«NATO is moving, and will move in the meeting we will have in Washington in July, bringing projects, plans, ideas. Individual pushes are worth little - he continues -. I believe that at this moment it is wrong to increase an already dramatic tension. Yes, we need to help Ukraine defend itself, because if you don't help it, World War III will really break out. Aid to Ukraine serves to prevent war from breaking out . But this aid must be done in such a way as to leave open the possibility of building an immediate truce and the start of a peace table."

Today the French president will meet German Chancellor Scholz but Crosetto does not fear an agreement on Stoltenberg's positions . "It is not possible. Germany has a constitution equal to the Italian one. We cannot attack. We can only defend ourselves," he explains.

The possibility of increasing defense spending to reach 2% of GDP «is not my decision. The only person who said that we can't do it with European rules is me - he continues -. Either we remove spending from the Stability Pact, or we will never get to 2 percent. If Europe accepts this path, it will be easier. Otherwise, we will have great difficulties."

Finally, the minister explains that he is against the reintroduction of compulsory military service . «It's certainly not six months in a barracks that changes young people - he concludes -. It would be money wasted. We need professional armed forces, trained and prepared people."

(Unioneonline/vl)