Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni
arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday for her first-visit to war-torn
Ukraine, just days before the first anniversary of the Russian
invasion.
She will also visit Bucha and Irpin, two cities of huge symbolic
importance for the Ukrainian resistance where hundreds of
civilians were killed, and have talks with Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky in the afternoon.
Meloni, who was sworn in as Italy's first woman premier last
October, has continued the policy of her predecessor, ex-premier
Mario Draghi, of staunchly supporting Kyiv and sending military
aid .
She is expected to stress to Zelensky that Italy's support for
Kyiv will be unwavering as long as she is in charge.
Her visit comes after furore over comments critical of Zelensky
by ex-premier and Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi, one of
her alliance partners.
Another, Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Matteo
Salvini, has expressed reservations in the past about the policy
of sending military aid to Ukraine.
League leader Salvini, who used to be an admirer of Russian
President Vladimir Putin, has criticised Moscow's invasion of
its neighbour.
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