Bloomberg: Divisions deepen in Italy's leadership over funds for Ukraine

Divisions have sharpened within Italy's government over the future of support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Source: Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On Thursday 4 December, the coalition Lega (The League) party said that billions of Russian assets frozen in the EU should be returned to Russia.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who belongs to the Forza Italia (Forward Italy) party, has rejected these remarks, saying that foreign policy is the prerogative of the foreign minister and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Quote: "The line is set by the prime minister and I share her view."

More details: At the heart of the dispute is also the matter of whether the government will continue to provide aid to Ukraine in 2026. A cabinet vote on the issue was initially planned for late Thursday 4 December but was eventually postponed. Meloni stated that the relevant decree would be approved by the end of the year, calling the delay a matter of "logistics".

Officially, Rome insists that it has not changed its support for Kyiv. But Italy's position has become more contested amid a shifting geopolitical landscape, reduced funding and a series of upcoming elections, including a general one.

This week, Tajani said that Italy's participation in NATO's programme to purchase US weapons for Ukraine under the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative would be "premature" in light of the ongoing talks over the US "peace plan". In October, however, Italy had signalled its readiness to take part in the PURL mechanism.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto from Meloni's Brothers of Italy party sought to ease coalition tensions, saying The League has always supported government decisions to provide aid to Ukraine.

"I think it will do so this time, too", he told state broadcaster Rai late Thursday 4 December.

Background: Meloni's government has sent 12 aid packages to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022, with a total value estimated at €2.5 billion.

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