Italy


Lauren Sanchez cryptically hinted at a wedding with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
Lauren Sanchez shared an enigmatic post following news of her upcoming wedding to Jeff Bezos. The couple is planning a lavish wedding in Venice this summer.

Drone Coalition has allocated €20 million for reconnaissance drones for Ukraine
Partner countries have allocated 20 million euros for the purchase of tactical reconnaissance drones for the Defense Forces. The equipment is expected to be delivered within three months.

100-year-old Italian woman has been working as a barista for 67 years without days off and is not going to retire
Anna Possi, who turned 100, has been opening her coffee shop at 7:00 a. m. every morning since 1958 and works until 7:00 p.m. She even comes to work on weekends and holidays.

France and Italy are delaying the EU's allocation of €5 billion for ammunition to Ukraine - Bloomberg
EU's efforts to provide Ukraine with €5 billion for ammunition are being delayed by France and Italy. They do not want to publicize large figures and are asking for more details on the plan.

European leaders will discuss their position on Ukraine and the peace process in Paris next week - media
European leaders will meet in Paris to discuss the position on Ukraine. The United States has begun negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, and allies are trying to participate in the process.

In Ukraine, almost half of the banks have foreign shareholders - research
The state controls the top 5 banks in Ukraine, foreigners - almost half of the institutions. Some banks are connected with politicians and corporations, which affects their activities.

Canada seeks defense alliance with Europe due to threats from the US
Canada seeks closer cooperation with the EU in the defense industry. This comes amid increasing pressure from the US and concerns about economic coercion.

Italy, France and Slovakia are asking for a softer version of Kallas' proposal on aid to Ukraine - Politico
Italy, France and Slovakia are advocating for a softer version of Kaja Kallas' proposal for military aid to Ukraine. They insist on a voluntary basis of support, which raises disputes about funding.

"Will help reveal Putin's possible bluff": Meloni calls for extending Article 5 of NATO to Ukraine
Giorgia Meloni insists on applying Article 5 of the NATO Treaty to Ukraine, considering it an effective way to guarantee security. She calls on partners to discuss this proposal.

A boat with refugees sank off the coast of Lampedusa Island: more than 40 people are missing, 10 rescued
A boat with refugees sank near the Italian island of Lampedusa. Authorities are searching for more than 40 missing migrants, only 10 people have been rescued, and 6 bodies have been found.

Zelenskyy discussed strengthening Ukraine's air defense with the Prime Minister of Finland
Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Petteri Orpo, where they discussed defense support for Ukraine, including strengthening air defense, artillery, and investments in weapons production.

Stubb named the countries that should represent Europe in the negotiation process
The President of Finland stated that Europe should create a negotiating team consisting of Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy. He also assured Zelensky of Ukraine's support.

EU excludes US, Britain and Turkey from €150 billion rearmament fund - FT
US, British and Turkish arms companies may be excluded from the EU's defence fund if their countries do not sign agreements with Brussels. At least 65% of the funds will go to production in the EU, Norway and Ukraine.

Meloni: sending troops, as proposed by Britain and France, is an "ineffective option," instead there is a mechanism with Article 5 of NATO
Meloni stated that sending Italian troops to Ukraine is not being considered. She proposed a mechanism of security guarantees between Ukraine and partner countries.

Ukrainians were asked about their attitude to the authorities – the results of the study
A KIIS survey showed that Ukrainians feel mixed feelings towards the authorities. Most respondents spoke of disappointment (32%) and hope (28%).

What was the most exported from Ukraine this year - the answer of customs officers
Most of the corn was exported to Spain, Italy, Turkey, Egypt and the Netherlands. Corn accounted for 16% of Ukraine's total exports.

Italy is among the top five countries contributing to the “democratic recession” in Europe - report
Italy is among the top five countries shaping the "decline" of the rule of law in Europe. The impact of government decisions in Slovakia and Croatia is also a cause for concern, and Romania, France and Germany are not immune to problems in the context of the “democratic recession”.

There have never been enough missiles for SAMP/T - Zelenskyy
President Zelenskyy stated a constant shortage of missiles for the SAMP/T systems provided by Italy and France. He emphasized that Ukraine had requested licenses to produce missiles for these systems.

Meloni ruled out sending Italian troops to Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Italy stated that sending Italian troops to Ukraine is not planned. Italy will continue to cooperate with partners for security guarantees.

The head of the association "Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of Ukraine" tried to explain the pharmaceutical paradox of Ukrainian drugs becoming more expensive than foreign ones
In Ukraine, prices for medicines, especially domestically produced ones, are increasing. The head of the "Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of Ukraine" association explains this by the rising cost of raw materials, energy, logistics, and competition for shelf space in pharmacies.

G7 countries reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and called on Russia for a ceasefire
G7 foreign ministers expressed support for Ukraine, called for a ceasefire and discussed additional sanctions against Russia. They condemned Russia's military assistance from the DPRK and Iran.

Which European countries can boast long-livers - research
Eurostat reported a record life expectancy in the EU – 81. 4 years. The longest life expectancy is in Spain (Madrid), Italy (Trento) and the Åland Islands, and the shortest is in Bulgaria.

Rutte confirmed that Ukraine's accession to NATO is no longer being considered? What the Secretary General really said
Bloomberg reports that Rutte answered "uh-huh" to the question of whether Trump rejected the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. He also stated the need to normalize relations with Russia after the war.

G7 warned Russia about new sanctions if a ceasefire is not agreed - Reuters
G7 countries called on Russia to reciprocate the ceasefire in Ukraine, as Kyiv did. They stressed the need for security measures to prevent a resumption of aggression.

G7 Foreign Ministers meet in Canada: on the agenda - Rubio's summary of the meeting with Ukraine in Jeddah
G7 foreign ministers are meeting in Canada amid disagreements between US allies and Trump over foreign policy and tariffs. They will discuss Ukraine and the Russian shadow fleet.

European allies are accelerating the creation of a "coalition of the willing" for security guarantees for Ukraine - Heappey
The British Defense Secretary stated that European countries will accelerate the creation of a coalition to provide security guarantees to Ukraine. Great Britain and France are leading the planning work.

"Now the decision is up to Russia": Meloni welcomed the results of the US-Ukraine negotiations
Giorgia Meloni supports the efforts of the US under the leadership of Trump for a just peace in Ukraine.

In Britain, a painting by Antonio Solario, stolen in Italy in 1973, was found, but the owner does not want to part with it
In Great Britain, a 16th-century painting "Madonna and Child" by Antonio Solario, stolen from a museum in Italy more than 50 years ago, was discovered. The lawyer promised to return the painting to the city of Belluno.

A Ukrainian woman has become the first bone marrow donor for a foreigner
28-year-old Ukrainian Nelya became the first bone marrow donor for a foreign patient in the history of the Ukrainian registry. Her stem cells were successfully delivered to an Italian clinic for transplantation.

Italy has revealed its position on Macron's proposal for troops in Ukraine
Italy will not send its troops to Ukraine either within NATO or the EU. The country hopes for the war to end within a year and supports the possibility of a UN peacekeeping mission after peace is achieved.