Italy refused to join the program for the purchase of weapons for Kiev — Bloomberg

It would be "premature" for Italy to participate in the NATO program for the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine amid ongoing peace talks. This was stated to journalists in In Brussels, the country's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Bloomberg reports.

"If we reach an agreement and the fighting stops, the weapons will no longer be needed. Other measures, such as security guarantees, will be needed," Tajani said.

These statements are the clearest sign that Giorgi Meloni's government has changed its strategy for Ukraine after it ran out of finances and overcame tensions within the ruling coalition, the agency notes. "Although the government insists that it will continue to support Kiev, it also became the first in Europe to explicitly state that Ukraine should not be provided with additional weapons during the ceasefire negotiations," the publication says.

The agency recalls that Rome in October signaled its readiness to join the NATO PURL program, launched after the United States reduced arms supplies by Ukraine in the summer. This program allows Kiev's allies to purchase American weapons for Ukraine.

Ukraine has stated that it needs an additional 1 billion euros of PURL supplies to protect itself in winter. According to the Secretary General of the alliance Mark Rutte, about two-thirds of NATO allies participate in the program.