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Two
weeks ago Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Rome was
considering supplying air defences after a phone call with
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in which she reaffirmed
her government's "full support" for Ukraine.
Shortly afterwards, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto struck a
cautious tone on whether Italy would be able to supply Ukraine
with air defence systems.
Citing unspecified sources, la Repubblica reported that Meloni,
who is a firm supporter of Kyiv, is facing resistance on the
approval of a decree to send arms to Ukraine from her right-wing
allies Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi.
Both politicians have longstanding ties with Moscow.
But sources from their respective political parties - Salvini's
League and Berlusconi's Forza Italia - on Monday denied having
any problems with the decree.
Another issue holding back the decision is concern about
depriving the Italian army of air defence systems, la Repubblica
wrote, as two of its five missile batteries are already
committed to Kuwait and Slovakia.
The third concern, according to the daily, is the cost of the
arms that are supposed to be sent to Kyiv.
Zelenskiy is pressing Ukraine's Western allies to step up
military aid to help counter Russian missile and drone strikes
on civilian infrastructure.
Under former Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Italy sent five aid
packages to Kyiv including military supplies, and Meloni's
government, installed in October, has been working for weeks on
a possible sixth delivery.
Crosetto and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's press offices did
not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(Reporting by Cristina Carlevaro, editing by Alvise Armellini,
William Maclean)
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