Meloni Doubles Down On Support For Ukraine Despite Rift In Government

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made a public declaration of support for Ukraine despite tensions within her own government and divided public opinion.

• Speaking in Kyiv, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Meloni said: "We will give Ukraine all types of support it needs, including military..."
• Meloni ruled out supplying Ukraine with fighter planes but said that the transfer of additional air defence systems is being considered.
• Meloni's trip is especially significant considering widely reported remarks from her coalition partner, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which appeared to attribute blame for the war on Zelenskyy.
• Lorenzo Castellani, a politics professor at Luiss University in Rome said: “The fact that Meloni’s visit to Kyiv comes a day after Biden signals a government position that will make it very difficult to backtrack on. It also gives her stronger international visibility while putting Berlusconi and Salvini into the corner.”
• The White House, recognising the significance of Meloni's trip, released a statement yesterday commending the Italian PM and inviting her to the White House for a meeting with Biden "when their schedules align."