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Main War Italian right-wingers promise to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine if they win elections

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Italian right-wingers promise to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine if they win elections

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Italian right-wingers promise to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine if they win elections

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This was stated by the head of the most popular party in the alliance, Georgia Meloni, reports "European Pravda".

The far-right Brothers of Italy, led by Giorgia Meloni, were one of the few Italian parties that wholeheartedly supported Prime Minister Mario Draghi's decision to supply weapons to Ukraine, even though they were in opposition to his government.

Meloni's two main allies, Liga and Forza Italia, who were part of Draghi's coalition, were far more controversial, reflecting their historically close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The government collapsed earlier this week, paving the way for snap elections on Sept. 25 in which the Brothers of Italy-dominated bloc, according to polls, will win, meaning its leader, Georgia Meloni, could become the next prime minister.

"We have always defended and supported the Ukrainian cause, not only because we believe in this cause, but also because Italy cannot risk being the weak link in the Western alliance," Meloni told state broadcaster RAI Thursday evening.

"(The West) should know that they can count on us. I would not allow any ambiguity about this," she said.

Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi is a close friend of Putin, while League leader Matteo Salvini praised the Russian president in 2019 as the best statesman on earth.

Both parties have questioned the wisdom of sending arms to Ukraine, as has their coalition partner, the 5 Star Movement, suggesting the West is delaying inevitable peace talks.

This week, all three parties withdrew their support for Draghi, effectively tearing apart the coalition, leading to accusations that their withdrawal motivated Ukraine's PM's withdrawal.

"It is no coincidence that the government was overthrown by political forces winking at Vladimir Putin," Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Thursday.

Liga, Forza Italia, and 5 Star Movement deny that Ukraine played any role in their decision to end Draghi's support.

Opinion polls have shown that in Italy - unlike other G7 European states - Britain, France, and Germany - there is little public support for sending weapons to Kyiv.

But Meloni said it's not just the current war at stake. "Ukraine is the top of the iceberg in a much broader conflict that aims to reshape the world order," she told RAI.

The conservative bloc has yet to draw up a manifesto, and whether Forza Italia and the Liga will support Meloni's uncompromising pro-Ukrainian stance is unclear.

The latest opinion polls show that in the September 25 elections, Brothers of Italy will receive almost 23% of the vote, Liga 14.4%, and Forza Italia 8.4%.


The Odessa Journal
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