Ukraine and Italy pledge to work together to boost defence and drone production
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that they would work together to boost defence cooperation, including on drone production, after talks in Rome.
No concrete details were announced however, with Zelenskyy saying teams from the two countries would work on the details.
"Today we have discussed at length how to strengthen our cooperation in the field of defence," Meloni told reporters.
"Italy in particular is very interested in developing joint production, especially in the area of drones, a sector in which we know very well that Ukraine has in recent years become a leading nation."
Zelenskyy had visited Berlin on Tuesday, where he and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a strategic partnership centred on defence and drones.
The Iran war has given Kyiv a chance to showcase its drone expertise developed over more than four years of war with Russia, with Zelenskyy dispatching specialists and visiting countries targeted by attacks from Iran, a Russian ally.
"Ukraine has developed a special format of security agreement, which we call the Drone Deal format," Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.
"Our expertise, military experience and our defensive capabilities in the fields of drones, missiles, electronic warfare and data exchange - we are proposing to bring all of this together with the capabilities of our partners, so that we support each other," he explained, through an Italian interpreter.
Earlier on Wednesday, he said that cooperating on air defence was Ukraine's top diplomatic priority, the day after regional authorities said Russian strikes across Ukraine had killed seven people, including a child.
"We need air defence missiles every single day, every day the Russians continue their strikes on our cities," he wrote in a post on X.
Zelenskyy also visited Norway on Tuesday and following talks with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, both sides agreed to boost defence and security cooperation.
The day after receiving a drubbing from US President Donald Trump over Italy's unwillingness to join the Iran war, Meloni repeated the need for the US and Europe to work together on Ukraine.
"A divided West and a fractured Europe would be the only true gift we could give Moscow," she said.
Meloni has been one of Washington's closest allies in Europe and has pressed Kyiv's case with Trump.
But a day after telling the Italian daily Corriere della Sera that "I'm shocked at her," Trump continued his criticism on Wednesday, telling Fox News, "We no longer have the same relationship."
Italy has denied authorisation for some US aircraft involved in combat missions to land at Sigonella in Sicily.
Zelenskyy is pressing European countries to join the PURL programme, launched last year, that allows Ukraine to receive US equipment financed by European countries.
Italy has sent weapons, including the French-Italian SAMP/T air defence system, but so far has not signed up to PURL.
120,000 drones and more missiles: Allies double down on Ukraine aid in Berlin
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov emphasised that Kyiv is pushing to scale up domestic drone production and accelerate deliveries to the frontline.
About 120,000 drones pledged by the UK, alongside additional funding for PURL and the Czech ammunition initiative, were announced at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Berlin on Wednesday.
The 34th gathering of the group took place at Germany's defence ministry, co-hosted by the German defence minister, Boris Pistorius, and his British counterpart, John Healey.
Ukraine's defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, and NATO's secretary general, Mark Rutte, attended in person, while other members joined virtually.
US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, reportedly skipped the meeting, sending the Pentagon's policy chief, Elbridge Colby, in his place.
Both Pistorius and Healey warned that "the eyes of the world are on the Strait of Hormuz," but stressed that support for Ukraine must not falter despite the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
Germany pledges Patriots for Ukraine
Pistorius reiterated Berlin's latest military commitments announced on Tuesday during German-Ukrainian government consultations, where the two sides signed a €4 billion defence package, including hundreds of Patriot missiles and joint drone production, as well as an agreement to share digital battlefield data.
According to the defence ministry, Germany is financing a contract between Ukraine and Raytheon to supply several hundred Patriot missiles to bolster Kyiv's air defences. "In addition, further launchers for IRIS-T air defence systems have been agreed with Diehl Defence. This project will also be financed by Germany and will significantly improve the protection of critical infrastructure and cities," the ministry said.
Pistorius reaffirmed that strengthening Ukraine's air defence remained Germany's top priority, pledging hundreds of Patriot missiles to be delivered over the coming years alongside additional IRIS-T systems and jointly produced strike drones. According to Fedorov, these contracts will not be delivered immediately, but will reach Ukraine next year and the following two years.
He urged Kyiv's allies, to "have a look at your stocks", adding that Kyiv needs more PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles "to protect our critical infrastructure."
'Drones have defined this war'
UK Defence Secretary John Healey announced Britain's largest drone package to date, with more than 120,000 units set to be delivered this year, alongside artillery rounds and air defence missiles. According to official UK government data, this new drone package is backed by the UK's wider £3 billion (€2.6 billion) military support for Ukraine this year, as well as ERA funding.
"Drones have defined this war," Healey said, claiming that they've caused the vast majority of Russian casualties and will be decisive in the war's outcome.
Fedorov added that drones are responsible for the bulk of Ukraine's counterattacks and are critical on both the battlefield and in strikes behind enemy lines, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's announcement on Monday that the Ukrainian arm has recently captured a Russian position with only UAVs and ground robotic systems.
"For the first time in the history of this war, an enemy position was taken exclusively by unmanned platforms - ground systems and drones," Zelenskyy said, adding that the operation was carried out without infantry and losses on the Ukrainian side
Fedorov emphasised that Kyiv is pushing to scale up domestic drone production and accelerate deliveries to the frontline.
The support for Ukraine is now not a one-way-street anymore, as NATO-chief Mark Rutte explained at the meeting, saying that Ukraine's expertise in using and countering drones is now feeding back into NATO, with allies learning directly from Ukraine's battlefield experience.
"We are also now learning from you. We are learning from Ukraine," he said.
PURL 'keeps flowing'
Rutte highlighted the growing role of the NATO-led Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative in sustaining Ukraine's air defence, stressing that it is key to keeping US-supplied capabilities flowing. The alliance launched PURL in July last year, with the aim to speed up funding and delivery of urgently needed military equipment to Ukraine, with a particular focus on sourcing US-made systems.
"Vital military equipment from NATO allies continues to flow into Ukraine," Rutte reaffirmed, echoing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who confirmed a few weeks ago that "nothing yet has been diverted".
Rubio didn't rule out any future divertions, in case the US needed to replenish its own stocks. "If we need something for America and it’s American, we’re going to keep it for America first," he said.
At the Berlin meeting, Rutte welcomed fresh contributions announced, without clarifying further what was pledged.
At the same time, both Rutte, Fedorov and Pistorius acknowledged ongoing gaps in burden-sharing, with the NATO chief noting that "it is a limited amount of countries doing the heavy lifting," while expressing optimism that funding targets could still be met.
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Magyar calls on Orbán to lift veto on €90bn Ukraine loan before leaving office
If oil flows resume through the Druzhba pipeline, then Viktor Orbán should lift his "technical veto" on the €90 billion loan for Ukraine, Péter Magyar said. Brussels is already laying the groundwork to make the first payment.
Péter Magyar, the winner of the Hungarian elections and the country's incoming prime minister, has called on Viktor Orbán to lift his controversial veto on the €90 billion loan for Ukraine before vacating his office in May.
The financial scheme was agreed by the 27 leaders of the European Union in December, but Orbán used his veto in mid-February to block the legal procedure over an unrelated dispute with Kyiv involving the Druzhba pipeline, which carries low-cost Russian oil.
The spat featured prominently in Orbán's failed re-election campaign.
"Viktor Orbán accepted the loan (in December), and he said during the election campaign that as long as there is no oil, there is no money," Magyar said on Wednesday during his first interview with the Hungarian public broadcaster since 2024.
Magyar referred to the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who this week said the pipeline could be repaired "not completely, but enough to function" by the end of the month. The infrastructure was badly damaged in January by Russian drones.
The restoration of flows will be "very important for our country", Magyar said, signalling his desire to continue purchases of Russian oil in the near term.
"In the next 30 days, the Orbán government is still operating as an executive government," Magyar added.
"So I think, if Druzhba restarts, Viktor Orbán will release his technical veto."
Only one element of the €90 billion loan, a regulation amending the EU budget that requires unanimity, is still on hold. In principle, Orbán could order his ambassador in Brussels to lift the veto at any time and complete the legislative procedure.
However, it is far from clear if Orbán, who made Zelenskyy the nemesis of his campaign, will allow this to happen before leaving office sometime in May.
The European Commission is quickly laying the groundwork to make the first transfer to Kyiv as soon as the deadlock is broken. The executive has a reserve of borrowed cash at hand, so it is just waiting for the legal blessing to go ahead.
On Tuesday, the Commission said the offer to send an external inspection to the Druzhba pipeline and pay for the repair with EU funds, which were made to placate Orbán, was still applicable after the election. (The inspection has not yet taken place.)
"We, of course, expect all EU leaders, all member states, to abide by their commitments," a Commission spokesperson said.
After a bitter clash with Orbán over his "unacceptable" veto, capitals are keen to turn the page and leave the episode behind.
Speaking alongside Zelenskyy on Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the military funds under the loan "must be disbursed promptly".
"Ukraine urgently needs them. Ukraine will then be able to finance its defence in the long term. Russia should take this seriously," Merz said.
Zelenskyy echoed the message and expressed confidence that, under Magyar's leadership, Hungary would stop blocking "important" decisions for Ukraine.
"I am sure that we will cooperate with Hungary. We have good relations between the people. We are neighbours. We will continue these relations," Zelenskyy said.
"I think we need to build our relations on pragmatism. We can also have friendly relations based on agreements and treaties. This will only strengthen both countries."
Besides the loan, Hungary, together with Slovakia, is currently vetoing the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. It is also blocking Ukraine's accession process and the release of €6.6 billion in military aid under the European Peace Facility (EPF).
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