Meloni vows continued support for Ukraine as Italy hosts leaders for annual recovery conference

Описание: (10 Jul 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rome, Italy - 10 July 2025
1. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy going down the stairs to reach conference room
2. Meloni and Zelenskyy entering conference room ++MUTE++
3. Wide of Meloni and Zelenskyy on stage
4. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Giorgia Meloni, Italy's Prime Minister:
"For this reason, Italy will obviously continue to support the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people, as we have done so far, on all fronts. This support will now clearly also take the form of cooperation between defence industries. This is one of the issues we have discussed and as demonstrated by the many agreements signed today, it is becoming increasingly central and one in which we certainly want to continue to invest. We are doing so because we are well aware of how important it is to enable Ukraine to continue to defend itself, especially from the increasingly intense and brutal attacks – until yesterday – with which Russia continues to target civilians. These attacks confirm once again how little Moscow is committed to building the peace for which we all support, starting with Ukraine, the efforts of US President Donald Trump and the US administration, whom we also thank for having its representatives at this conference today."
5. Zelenskyy on stage during press conference
6. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Giorgia Meloni, Italy's Prime Minister:
"From the beginning, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine accepted the proposal for an unconditional ceasefire and assured their willingness to sit down at the negotiating table at the highest level. On the other hand, no willingness has so far been shown on the Russian side, on nothing, on nothing at all. For this reason, and clearly this was the subject of our debate today, we discussed with Volodymyr that the path forward is clear to us, a dual approach: to continue to support Ukraine and, on the other hand, to maintain, indeed strengthen, pressure on Russia, especially through the use of sanctions."
7. Zelenskyy and Meloni shaking hands and leaving room
STORYLINE:
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reaffirmed Thursday her country's commitment to supporting Ukraine against Russia during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Meloni said the assistance to Ukraine will be through cooperation between defence industries and also through investment in the country.

The announcement took place at the annual Ukraine Recovery Conference, taking place in Rome on the 10th and 11th of July 2025.

Meloni and Zelenskyy kicked off the proceedings as Russia pounded Ukraine’s capital with another major missile and drone attack overnight in some of the heaviest attacks on Kyiv in the more than three-year war.

European leaders urged private businesses on Thursday to invest in rebuilding Ukraine now, even as Russia accelerates its war, as they opened the conference with announcements of a new equity fund and public-private partnerships amid uncertainties of the U.S. commitment to Kyiv’s defense.

The conference is expected to finalize individual deals of guarantees and grants to unlock more than 10 billion euros (around $12 billion) in investments, Meloni said.

The European Commission, for its part, announced the creation of the largest equity fund to date to support Ukraine, the European Flagship Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy thanked those countries and companies that have already invested and said that only friends would be welcome to rebuild.


AP video by Silvia Stellacci and Dario Artale



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