Italy to extend military aid for Ukraine
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — A U.S. Marine artillery crew member handles 155mm high explosive (HE) shells, similar to those that have been supplied to Ukraine, after a live-fire exercise at Fort Pickett, Va., July 18, 2020. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Niles Lee via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service - DVIDS)
By Angelo Amante
ROME, Dec 2 - Italy's government is set to approve a parliamentary decree that will allow it to continue supplying military equipment to Ukraine to support its war effort against Russia, a government document showed on Tuesday.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Italy has approved 12 packages of military aid for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government, which also included air defence systems known as SAMP/T.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been a supporter of Kyiv since taking office in late 2022 and has vowed to back it until the war ends, but tensions have risen in recent weeks in her conservative coalition over supplying more aid to Zelenskiy.
The document did not specify how long the authorisation would be extended for, but decrees approved so far have allowed shipments of arms for one year without seeking parliamentary approval for each new supply.
The document said the decree will be discussed at a pre-cabinet meeting due on Wednesday, but no date had yet been set for the cabinet meeting that will give the final go-ahead.
Meloni's deputy Matteo Salvini - the leader of the far-right League party - said helping Ukraine would not end the war with Russia and could fuel corruption, referring to the graft scandal that is rocking the government in Kyiv.
Salvini had forged close ties with Russia ahead of its invasion of Ukraine and while he has so far supported Meloni's decision to send military aid, he has avoided direct criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
All government decrees need to be approved by parliament within 60 days.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Sharon Singleton // REUTERS)
