Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts expressed strong criticism against European countries, notably Spain and Italy, for their attempts to classify climate change and economic competitiveness expenditures as defense spending. His comments come amid efforts by the European Union to exclude defense spending from fiscal constraints, as nations aim to bolster their defense capabilities.

Ricketts, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, remarked, “As the EU grapples with exempting member states’ defense spending from fiscal restrictions, some appear more concerned by what they can reclassify as defense spending rather than actually spend on military readiness.” He highlighted Spain's argument to include civil defense costs like climate change and Italy's stance on incorporating measures related to economic competitiveness. Ricketts added, “Last time I checked, you actually need hard assets like bullets to be able to shoot. You can’t shoot climate change at anybody.”

Acknowledging that defense spending is complex, Ricketts noted, “Now I realize defense spending isn’t just a matter of percent of GDP, it’s not the only panacea. For example, Italy hosts 30,000 military personnel and their families, as well as the Navy’s Sixth Fleet in Naples.” However, he expressed concern about nations that have not yet met the 2% NATO defense spending target set over a decade ago, “resorting to accounting tricks to weaken our collective defense,” complicating his support for the Transatlantic Alliance.

Ricketts' statements were made during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, which also involved discussions on the nominations of Warren Stephens as Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Tilman Fertitta as Ambassador to the Italian Republic and the Republic of San Marino, and Thomas Barrack Jr. as U.S. Ambassador to Turkiye.