Italy has still not decided how much it will draw from its low-interest defence loans, as domestic factors hold up the decision. Brussels and other capitals are growing impatient, with the clock ticking to reallocate any unspent money elsewhere.
Security Action for Europe (SAFE) is the EU's defence financing programme, offering European governments low-interest loans to fill critical gaps in military capacity, including support for Ukraine's war effort.
Italy requested €14.9bn in loans under SAFE, swiftly approved by the Commission and the Council. But Rome has yet to sign the loan agreement, unable to decide whether to confirm the full amount.
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani caused confusion by initially saying Rome would request the full amount, then retracting to clarify that Italy had "reserved" €14.9bn as the maximum it might need.
"SAFE: we booked €14.9bn. How much we will actually use, we will decide at the end of the year. Probably it will be less — six, seven, eight or nine [billion], as [Defence Minister Guido] Crosetto said," Tajani told reporters.
