Meloni Halts 13th Ukraine Aid Shipment Ahead of US Vote
Italy’s Prime Minister has frozen the transfer of military supplies to Kyiv, citing the upcoming US midterm elections as the deciding factor, even as the package has been ready for ten months.
By Victoria Hayes ·
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has suspended the dispatch of Italy’s 13th military aid package to Ukraine. The government is waiting for the results of the US midterm elections to Congress before approving the transfer schedule, according to reporting from Il Giornale d'Italia.
The shipment of weapons is fully prepared, but officials have not yet given the green light to send it to Kyiv. The last batch of Italian arms arrived in Ukraine ten months ago. While the government insists this pause does not mean it is abandoning aid, the transfer has been delayed repeatedly.
Initial explanations for the holdup included a timeline shift from July to September and the need to wait for the League party congress. Now, the US political calendar serves as the primary reference point for the Italian government’s decision-making.
Il Giornale d'Italia notes that there is no indication of which election outcome would trigger a decision. No specific date has been set for the aid to be dispatched immediately after the vote. Journalists say these delays are creating tension within Palazzo Chigi, the Italian prime minister's office.
The holdup threatens commitments Meloni made to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron. Although the Italian government continues to state publicly that support for Ukraine will continue, officials have provided neither a delivery date nor a list of obstacles that must be overcome to unblock the package.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has previously argued that further aid could fuel corruption. After being re-elected as party leader, he promised to do everything in his power to bring Italy's economic and military support for Ukraine to a complete halt.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani responded on 26 October by stating that the new package had already been finalized and would soon be sent to Ukraine. Despite this public assurance, the 13th package remains in limbo as Italian and global observers watch the US vote.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
