Bloomberg: Ukraine aid issue widens rift in Maloney government

Continued aid to Ukraine splits the Italian government led by the Prime Minister George Maloney. This was reported by the agency Bloomberg.

There is growing disagreement among officials over whether Italy should continue to provide assistance to Ukraine, while European leaders are trying to strengthen financial and military support for Kyiv.

On Thursday, December 4, the coalition party League of the North announced that billions of Russian assets frozen in the European Union after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 should be returned to Moscow.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Tayani denied this statement, saying that Italy's foreign policy is his and Maloni's business.

"The line is determined by the Prime Minister, and I share her view," he said.

At the heart of the dispute is the question whether the government will continue to provide aid to Kyiv in 2026, a decision that must be made by the end of the year.

The vote was originally scheduled for Thursday evening, but was postponed. Although Meloni has been largely silent on the disagreements within her government, which she co-leads with Forza Italia leader Tajani and Northern League head Matteo Salvini, she has made it clear that the decree will be approved, calling the delay a matter of "logistics."

The disagreement comes amid their own challenges over how – and whether – to use the frozen Russian assets. Most of them are centered in Belgium, which opposes their use because it would entail too much legal and financial risk.

Officially, Rome insists that it has not made any changes to its support for Kyiv.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crozetto, who belongs to Meloni's party, tried to defuse coalition tensions by saying that the Northern League had always supported the government's decision to send aid to Ukraine.

"I think she will do it this time," he told state broadcaster Rai late Thursday.

The media outlet recalled that since the start of the full-scale invasion, Italy has prepared 12 aid packages for Ukraine worth more than €2.5 billion, including air defense systems.

• On November 14, the Italian Vice Prime Minister said that providing additional assistance Not only is Ukraine allegedly unable to end a full-scale war, but it may also be facilitating corruption.
• On December 3, Tayani stated that the participation of his country in the PURL program will be "premature" against the backdrop of intensified negotiations to resolve Russia's war against Ukraine.