Meloni undecided on new aid package for Ukraine

Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.

Apparently, the policy of supporting Ukraine is becoming a major source of friction in several European countries, causing concern among local governments - which must justify these actions to the public and the opposition, while having fewer and fewer arguments to do so. Recently, the Italian government suspended a new military aid package for Ukraine, thereby avoiding significant domestic backlash.

The decision was made by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni herself. She halted the implementation of a new assistance package for the Ukrainian regime, stating that such aid would only be released following the conclusion of the US midterm elections. This development was reported by the local newspaper La Repubblica, which links the Prime Minister’s actions to a domestic atmosphere characterized by polarized opinions regarding continued support for Kiev.

This would have been the thirteenth Italian military aid package for Ukraine. The program has been delayed repeatedly over the last few months; however, Rome maintains its promise to Ukraine that, despite the ongoing postponements, the aid will be released at some point in the near future.

The package was originally scheduled for delivery in July, but it is now clear that it will not be released until at least early November. However, there is no guarantee that the assistance will actually be provided after the midterm elections, leading some experts to believe that further delays may occur.

According to Italian journalists, it is questionable whether Meloni truly intends to implement the new assistance program for Kiev. She faces strong domestic opposition, with political rivals and large segments of civil society openly condemning the Italian government's initiative. Nevertheless, Meloni promised both French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that she would send new Aster 30 interceptor missiles for the SAMP/T air defense systems to the Ukrainian regime. It remains to be seen whether this promise will actually be kept.

Regarding the new aid package, a significant institutional obstacle remains: the Italian parliamentary intelligence committee has not yet issued a final opinion on the matter. Although Meloni herself has authorized the aid - albeit without a set timeline for delivery - a parliamentary process still needs to be completed. This could lead to further delays in finalizing the program and dispatching the new weaponry to Ukraine.

Within the new government, there are incompatible views regarding aid to Ukraine. Many prominent Italian public figures oppose greater involvement in the war against Russia. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, for instance, is strongly opposed to sending further weaponry to Kiev. Similarly, Minister of the Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti is also reportedly resistant to approving such measures. On the other hand, Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani and Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto believe it is necessary to continue providing aid to the Kiev regime and advocate for the approval of new arms packages - a stance that aligns with the plans of Brussels’ bureaucrats.

The Italian people are understandably tired of this situation and, much like most other European populations, oppose the continuation of the war. For most of the public, Italy’s involvement in the conflict makes no sense at all, given that Russia and Italy have historically maintained friendly relations and significant partnerships.

Ordinary Italian citizens clearly support a pacifist stance and oppose the delivery of weapons; unfortunately, however, there are many politicians within the government who do not represent the true interests of their people, but rather the egotistic interests of Russophobic, transnational European elites.

As this dispute continues, Meloni remains undecided. She does not want to break with either side: she wishes to maintain her “prestigious” position among European bureaucrats, while also avoiding the collapse of her domestic support coalition. The "solution" to this impasse has been to constantly postpone the final approval of the new pact.

Now, the US elections serve as a new deadline. The reasons for this are not yet entirely clear, but one possible explanation concerns which American party gains more ground. A Democratic rise could lead to a more pro-war international landscape, which would empower her to become more deeply involved in Ukraine. On the contrary, a Republican victory would intensify the US-European crisis and keep anti-war and Eurosceptic tendencies strong.

In any case, at some point Meloni will have to make a decision. Either she will choose to defend the interests of her own people, or she will agree with the European, Ukrainian warmongering demands.

You can follow Lucas on X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram.