Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has issued a stark warning over the current international landscape, describing it as a phase “without precedent in recent history,” shaped by overlapping crises that continue to feed one another. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Crosetto argued that the world is now paying the price for the weakness of multilateralism and the failure of international institutions to learn from the lessons of the twentieth century.
Crosetto directed particular criticism at the United Nations, saying it has gradually lost both authority and the ability to shape global balances. In an increasingly unstable world, he argued, military strength has once again become more decisive than economic or technological power.
At the same time, he noted that conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, as well as the war in Afghanistan, show that the duration of wars is often determined by the resilience of the weaker side. According to the minister, the inability to draw lessons from past conflicts has only fueled new tensions and forms of extremism.
Crosetto also voiced strong concern about the risk of further escalation, including the nuclear threat, warning that history has already shown how far human folly can go. On the international political front, he criticized the way the war involving Iran had been handled, calling it a decision taken “by two” without adequate international discussion or legitimacy, and arguing that this had ultimately strengthened the regime of the ayatollahs.
As for Italy’s role, Crosetto defended the government’s position, saying Rome has distanced itself from the conflict while maintaining its alliance with the United States and NATO, which he described as essential to national security.
Finally, the minister ruled out the possibility of a government crisis, arguing that Italy cannot afford political instability at such a delicate moment and that the current administration has a duty to remain in office and manage the international emergency.