US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte are pressuring Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to join the arms procurement program for Ukraine (PURL). This was reported by La Stampa, citing its own sources, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that initially the Italian government opposed participation in PURL for economic and public reasons, but "then something changed."
Pressure began on Meloni. ... Trump himself asked the prime minister to make an effort. However, Rutte was the most insistent, realizing that only with this tool would it be possible to stimulate the purchase of weapons for Kyiv and consolidate the Alliance. Zelensky discussed this issue with Meloni, hoping to convince her
It is indicated that Meloni has not yet given a "final green light" - she remains cautious due to fears of domestic political problems. In particular, two days ago, the right-wing populist party Lega "angered her in parliament, succumbing to the equation 'more weapons, less healthcare'."
Recall
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni participated in Friday's meeting of the Coalition of the Willing via video link. She reiterated the importance of unity between the two sides of the Atlantic in seeking a ceasefire in Ukraine, on the basis of which a reliable negotiation process can begin, starting from the current line of contact, with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace.