Meloni: Supporting Ukraine and a just peace are what keep Europe safe

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said at a summit of European Union leaders that only support for Ukraine and a just peace can guarantee Europe's security. Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia's invasion for a long time, so the EU leaders' stance on continued aid to Kyiv is one of the central questions in European security debates.

The main message

Meloni framed her position with a vivid phrase. As quoted by the Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda, she said: "I don't miss Russian tanks." With this, the head of the Italian government appeared to signal that Europe has no interest in a security situation in which Russian armed forces are present on its borders.

What it means

According to Meloni, support for Ukraine and a just peace go hand in hand: together they secure Europe's safety. The source does not give further details on which specific forms of assistance or decisions were discussed at the summit, so no additional information is available on that point.

Italy is a member state of the European Union, and its prime minister's public statements on Ukraine reflect her government's position on how Europe should continue to respond to Russia's war against Ukraine.