Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 24, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
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Italy will extend military aid to Ukraine through 2026, says undersecretary Giovanbattista Fazzolari. Rome has sent 12 packages worth over €3bn, trailing Germany’s €15bn+, amid coalition debate on continued support.
ROME, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Italy will send more military aid to Ukraine this year, a senior government official said on Tuesday, adding that continued support for Kyiv could help bring Russia to the negotiating table.
"We have already agreed that aid of all kinds, including military aid, will continue to be provided to Ukraine throughout the year, so there will obviously be further aid packages in 2026," said Giovanbattista Fazzolari, a cabinet undersecretary and a close aide to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Speaking at a conference marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he added that continuing backing for Kyiv "could lead Russia to genuine peace negotiations within a reasonable time frame".
Rome has so far supported Ukraine's military effort with 12 aid packages, including air defence systems.
The issue has sparked divisions within the ruling coalition, with the far-right League party arguing that further assistance could fuel corruption in Kyiv and not help end the war.
Fazzolari said support for Ukraine was part of coalition policy and that all allies were expected to support it.
While Italy has been a consistent contributor, it has lagged behind other major European economies, notably Germany, which has sent more than 15 billion euros ($17.66 billion) in military supplies to Ukraine, with billions more promised.
Italy's defence chief of staff said last year the country had so far sent more than 3 billion euros worth of supplies.
($1 = 0.8495 euros)
(Reporting by Angelo Amante in RomeEditing by Gareth Jones)
Italy will continue supplying military aid to Ukraine throughout 2026, according to cabinet undersecretary Giovanbattista Fazzolari, despite internal coalition disagreements.
Italy has sent 12 military aid packages, with officials indicating the total value exceeds €3 billion, though exact details remain classified.
Italy has been consistent but lags Germany, which has committed over €15 billion in military supplies to Ukraine, with additional support promised.
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