Italy Freezes Ukraine Arms Shipment Until US Midterm Vote
The 13th aid package has sat unshipped for ten months, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni citing the American political calendar as the new deciding factor.
By Mateo Castillo ·
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has halted the transfer of Italy’s 13th military aid package to Ukraine. The government is waiting for the outcome of the US midterm elections before approving the shipment schedule. The package is fully prepared but remains in limbo.
The last batch of Italian weapons arrived in Kyiv ten months ago. Since then, the transfer has faced a series of delays. The timeline first shifted from July to September. Officials then cited the need to wait for the League party congress. Now, the US political calendar has become the primary reason for the pause.
Journalists report that the delays are creating tension inside Palazzo Chigi, the prime minister’s office. The situation threatens commitments Meloni previously made to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron. The Italian government maintains that support for Ukraine will continue, but it has not provided a specific delivery date or a list of obstacles blocking the package.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has voiced skepticism about further aid. He claimed that providing more support could fuel corruption. After being re-elected as party leader, Salvini promised to work to stop Italy’s economic and military assistance to Ukraine. In response, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated on October 26 that the new package was finalised and would be sent soon.
No specific election result has been identified as the trigger for releasing the funds. Nor has a date been set for dispatch immediately following the vote. The Italian government has not explained how a particular outcome in Washington would change the decision in Rome. The package remains ready but unshipped.
The US midterm elections are now the central reference point for the Italian decision. The government has not clarified which result would facilitate the transfer. The lack of a defined timeline has left the 13th package in a state of administrative suspension.
The delay follows a pattern of shifting justifications for the hold. What began as a minor schedule adjustment has evolved into a wait for a foreign election. The 13th package, like the ones before it, awaits a green light that has not yet arrived.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
