Italy Holds 13th Ukraine Aid Package Until US Midterms
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has paused the release of prepared military shipments, citing the need to await Congressional election results.
By Ariana Flores ·
Italy has suspended the transfer of its 13th military aid package to Ukraine. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration is withholding the decision until the results of the United States midterm elections are known. The hold places the future of the shipment directly under the influence of American domestic politics.
The weapons for the next shipment are already prepared, but the government has not approved a schedule for their movement to Kyiv. This marks a ten-month gap since the last Italian weapons arrived in Ukraine. Officials insist the pause is a temporary delay rather than a permanent end to financial and material support.
The timeline for this specific package has shifted multiple times. Early plans targeted a July dispatch, which moved to September. The delay was initially attributed to the congress of the League party. Now, the US political calendar serves as the primary benchmark for the decision. No specific election outcome has been identified as the trigger for releasing the aid, and no date has been set for the shipment to follow the vote.
Journalists report that the repeated delays are causing internal friction at Palazzo Chigi, the prime minister’s office. The hesitation jeopardizes prior commitments made by Meloni to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron. Despite the public stance that support for Ukraine will continue, officials have provided neither a delivery date nor a list of obstacles preventing the unblocking of the package.
Political tensions within the Italian government have intensified around the issue of Ukrainian aid. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini previously argued that further assistance could fuel corruption. After his recent re-election as party leader, Salvini promised to work to halt Italy’s economic and military support for Ukraine entirely.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani addressed the situation on October 26. He stated that the new package had been finalized and would be sent to Ukraine soon. This public assurance contrasts with the current freeze on the dispatch schedule.
