Italy backs Kyiv’s ‘legitimate defence’ as Zelensky presses allies

Meloni’s government has been among the strongest supporters of Ukraine since Russian forces invaded in February 2022 – Copyright AFP/File Mauro PIMENTEL

Brigitte HAGEMANN with Alice RITCHIE in Rome

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reaffirmed her support for Ukraine’s “legitimate defence” Saturday in talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, as he visited allies to press for more weapons to fight Russia.

“We must not give up on Ukraine,” Meloni said after their meeting on the sidelines of an economic forum in Cernobbio, northern Italy, which Zelensky had addressed on Friday.

But at the same gathering, EU foreign affairs chief Joseph Borrell questioned why Italy — unlike most of Ukraine’s European allies — was still refusing to let Kyiv use the weapons it provided inside Russia.

Zelensky arrived at the European House-Ambrosetti forum after pressing for more weapons at a meeting of allies earlier Friday at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where Washington unveiled $250 million in new military aid.

The trip came just days after one of the deadliest strikes of the war, with 55 people killed in a Russian strike on Tuesday in Poltava, and as Russian forces advance in Donbas.

Meloni’s government has been among the strongest supporters of Ukraine since Russian forces invaded in February 2022, sending aid and weapons.

But some members of her coalition — notably League leader Matteo Salvini, who has historically warm ties with Moscow — are less enthusiastic and Rome says the arms it has provided are primarily defensive.

Meloni told Zelensky that supporting Ukraine was key to Italy’s G7 presidency this year and reiterated Rome’s commitment to “legitimate defence of Ukraine and a just and lasting peace”, her office said.

– Nice words –

After the closed-door meeting, she told the forum the position of EU and NATO member Italy on Ukraine was “extremely serious, determined and clear”. 

She acknowledged some members of the public were “scared, legitimately worried about the war”, but urged them not to “fall into the trap of Russian propaganda” in believing Ukraine’s fate was sealed.

Helping Ukraine fight back against its vastly more powerful neighbour had created the “stalemate” conditions in which peace could be discussed, she said. 

By contrast, Meloni said allowing Ukraine to fall “will not bring peace, it will bring chaos” and economic consequences “more serious that what it costs today to support Ukraine”.

The EU’s Borrell told a panel in Cernobbio that “I agree a lot” with Meloni.

“But by the way, why doesn’t Italy allow Ukraine to use the arms they supply in order to target the Russian bases inside Russian territory?” he said.

“Nice words, but it would be much better if we allow Ukraine to defend itself efficiently.”

– More weapons –

In Germany on Friday, where he also met Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Zelensky urged Kyiv’s supporters to provide more weapons and follow through on previous commitments.

And after Ukraine’s surprise, unprecedented push into Russia’s Kursk region last month, he again called for restrictions to be lifted on the use of long-range Western weapons.

At Cernobbio, he assured Italy that the weapons would only be used to hit military targets. 

In their talks Saturday, Meloni said she had also discussed with Zelensky a planned meeting in Italy next year on reconstructing Ukraine.

“I thank Giorgia and the Italian people for their support and joint efforts in restoring a just peace,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on X after the talks, posting a video of the pair hugging.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban — who upset his EU counterparts and Zelensky by meeting Putin in Moscow in July — also addressed the Cernobbio forum on Friday, and called for a ceasefire.

Zelensky rejected this, saying Putin had never respected earlier accords.

The Russian leader must “take the first steps” because “he started the war”, including stopping bombardments, Zelensky told a selected group of Italian media on Saturday.