Italian Government Extends Authorization for Military Aid to Ukraine

by Roman Cheplyk
Thursday, December 26, 2024
2 MIN
Italian Government Extends Authorization for Military Aid to Ukraine

The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday approved a decree extending authorization to send military aid to Ukraine

This measure paves the way for the continued provision of defense equipment to Kyiv in light of Russia's full-scale invasion.


Details of the Decree

According to the ANSA news agency, the decree includes what is officially termed “urgent provisions for the extension of authorization for the transfer of military vehicles, materials and equipment to the governmental bodies of Ukraine.”

This authorization allows the Italian government to continue supplying Ukraine with various categories of military support. The specifics of such aid remain classified.


Context

  • Initial Decision Under Draghi: The initial approval to provide weaponry and other forms of defense assistance to Ukraine was made by Italy’s previous government under Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
  • Support Under Meloni’s Government: After Giorgia Meloni took office in autumn 2022, her Council of Ministers decided to extend the existing authorization for sending military aid to Ukraine through 2023, and later voted to prolong it into 2024.

Parliamentary Authorization

Italian law requires that the prime minister’s government obtain parliamentary approval to send weapons abroad. This approval is valid until the end of 2024, meaning that any transfers of military equipment to Ukraine remain contingent on ongoing political consent.

In December 2024, the Meloni administration enacted the tenth package of military aid for Ukraine since the onset of Russia’s large-scale aggression in February 2022. The details of these assistance packages— types of weapons, volume, and specific capabilities—remain classified for security reasons.

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