Italy Expands Defense Cooperation with Ukraine
Italy pledged Thursday to increase its defence cooperation with Ukraine and promote private investment for Kyiv’s post-war reconstruction.
During the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni highlighted the importance of enhanced collaboration between Italian and Ukrainian defense industries, identifying this partnership as “increasingly central” to Ukraine’s resilience.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed support for the initiative, emphasizing the significance of air defense and drone technologies. He commended Italy’s potential role in safeguarding lives in Ukraine “today” and ensuring Italy’s security “tomorrow”.
More than 1,000 companies participated in the conference, where Meloni introduced a new EU equity fund aimed at mobilizing private capital to assist Ukraine’s economic recovery.
“Don’t be afraid to invest, to build, to rebuild in Ukraine,” Meloni urged, underlining the participation of major national corporations like Leonardo, Enel, Terna, and Ferrovie in collaborative projects with Ukrainian partners.
She cautioned that companies associated with Russia’s military efforts should be excluded from reconstruction initiatives, echoing recent statements from the G7.
Agreements signed at the conference totaled over €10 billion, which is lower than the €16.5 billion announced at last year’s Ukraine Recovery conference in Berlin, reports 24brussels.
