Italy’s PM pushed Zelenskyy toward painful compromises for peace deal

According to journalists, the 90-minute meeting between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Palazzo Chigi, despite official statements about constructive dialogue and mutual respect, was accompanied by subtle pressure and diplomatic signals from the Italian side.

Meloni stressed that Kyiv would most likely have to make compromises to accelerate the US-backed negotiation process.

Before the main discussion, the Italian Prime Minister held a series of limited meetings with her defense and foreign ministers, as well as separate talks with Ukrainian officials, highlighting the complexity and multi-level nature of the discussions.

Key topics of the Zelenskyy-Meloni talks

Experts noted clear divergences during the meeting: Italy sought to balance support for European solidarity with Kyiv and compliance with US demands regarding the timeline for starting negotiations.

Thus, Prime Minister Meloni aims to maintain her own position while adhering to the hard line of the US administration.

For its part, the Ukrainian delegation presented important demands to Italy: a more active role in unfreezing Russian assets, acceleration of the PURL program, participation in supplying US weapons, and redirecting some European resources to strengthen Ukraine's armed forces.

The outcome of the talks highlighted the complexity of the situation: Ukraine must balance pressure from the US with support from key European partners, while Italy seeks to find a balance between US diplomacy and its national interests.

There are concerns Italy may not join NATO's weapons procurement program for Ukraine, citing ongoing negotiations over a potential ceasefire.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte are pressing Meloni to have Italy join the PURL program.

In mid-October, NATO Secretary General Rutte reported that 17 Alliance countries had joined the PURL initiative.