Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that it would be "premature" for his country to participate in a NATO program to purchase American weapons for Ukraine, given the ongoing peace talks. This was reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
If we reach an agreement and the fighting stops, weapons will no longer be needed. Other things will be needed, such as security guarantees.
As the publication notes, these statements are the clearest sign that Giorgia Meloni's government has changed its strategy regarding Ukraine after funding ran out and tensions within the ruling coalition. Although the government insists that it will continue to support Kyiv, it has also become the first in Europe to directly hint that Ukraine should not be given additional weapons during ceasefire negotiations.
After some hesitation, Rome signaled in October its readiness to join the so-called NATO PURL program. The program, which was launched after Washington cut off arms supplies to Ukraine in the summer, allows allies to purchase American weapons for Ukraine.
Recent peace talks on Ukraine have not yet yielded tangible results. Tajani's statements contrast with the words of Europe's main defense lobby, the Aerospace, Security and Defense Industries Association of Europe, which warned on Tuesday that the continent must continue to ramp up defense production, despite the prospect of a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Ukraine has also stated that it needs an additional 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in supplies under the PURL program to protect itself in winter. According to Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte, about two-thirds of NATO allies are participating in the program.
Recall
Norway, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Canada announced funding for support packages for American weapons for Ukraine totaling over a billion dollars. Canada and the United Kingdom are also providing additional practical assistance.