In Italy, defence is not considered a priority, with this view being broadly shared by both the public and a significant portion of political actors. Although Italians acknowledge a global shift in the security environment, any threats appear to be geographically distant, creating a sense of reassurance that allows domestic concerns to remain at the forefront. Nonetheless, there is widespread awareness that Italy cannot disengage from its allies and must align, albeit reluctantly, with the new defence agenda. Public opinion reveals a traffic light threat perception as follows: ‘green’ for Russia’s direct threat, ‘yellow’ for European defence and ‘red’ for Italy being dragged into conflict.