Zelensky uses Italy to “pressure America” ​​and send weapons

According to RCO News Agency, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Prime Minister Georgia Meloni on Saturday during his trip to Italy and also asked her for urgent help.

“Ukraine wants Italy to use its presidency of the Group of Seven to put pressure on the United States to deliver more Patriot air defense systems to Kiev,” Il Massagro newspaper wrote in a report citing informed sources.

The Italian newspaper further emphasized: “President Zelenskiy considers Rome as a mediator who can pressure Washington to remove obstacles to the transfer of a significant number of Patriot systems before the 2024 US presidential election.”

As Russian forces advance in recent weeks and target Ukraine’s military installations and energy infrastructure, officials in Kiev have long been asking NATO member states to provide them with more advanced air defense systems.

Also, Volodymyr Zelenskiy during the meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy discussed the situation of the battlefield, Russian attacks, military requirements and steps to implement the decision of the Group of Seven to supply about 50 billion dollars in aid to Ukraine by using the frozen assets of Russia.

Western countries froze about $300 billion in Russian assets after the start of the conflict in Ukraine in early 2022. While the West has not yet agreed on the complete freezing of this money, the European Union in May approved a plan to use the profits obtained from these frozen assets, which total about 3 billion euros per year.

Moscow has repeatedly criticized the West for freezing its assets, calling it illegal, and has warned that it will retaliate if Moscow’s financial resources are seized or seized outside Russia.

In line with the meeting with Zelensky, Meloni mentioned Italy’s decision to host the next “Ukraine Reconstruction” conference in 2025 and said that the preparations for this event have already started, and Zelensky, in turn, talked about the next steps to get as close as possible. He talked and consulted more about membership in the European Union and Italy’s support for this path.

At the end of this report, Il Massagro wrote: “Italy is expected to send the second SAMP/T air defense systems to Ukraine by the end of this month (September).”

Since the beginning of Russian military operations in Ukraine (February 24, 2022), Western countries, including the United States, have sent extensive financial aid and military equipment to Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly asked the West to stop the “pumping” of arms to Ukraine and insists that the continuation of such a process will prolong the conflicts and hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.

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