Italy will send air defence systems to Ukraine to help the embattled country repel Russia’s 11-month-old invasion, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday, confirming remarks he made in a newspaper interview last week.
“Italy is an integral part of the European Union and of Nato and as a result we are working with our allies to defend Ukraine’s independence,” Tajani told Rtl radio news.
“But for now we are only sending air defence systems,” Tajani stated.
Italy will keep sending humanitarian aid and electrical materials to back a United Nations plan to secure the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Tajani said.
In an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Sunday, Tajani said Italy is teaming up with France to include in its sixth aid package for Ukraine the Samp-T – a truck-based air defence system.
Italy could supply further (unspecified) military aid to Ukraine throughout this year under a decree currently being examined by Parliament “which will always be informed on each initiative and future despatch of military materials,” Tajani told Corriere della Sera.
The Samp-T air defense system is designed to tackle cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles.
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