Weapons from Italy to Ukraine: what we know so far (and what we might know)

Since the first weeks of the conflict in Ukraine (March 2022), Italy has provided military means, materials and equipment to Kiev through a series of measures, taken first by the Draghi government (the fifth package was given the green light by the executive when it was resigning) and then, in February 2023, by Meloni's. In the first decrees, all of which were secret, according to the rumours that have emerged, protective equipment such as helmets and vests, ammunition of different calibre, anti-tank (Panzerfaust) and anti-aircraft (Stinger) systems, mortars, rocket launchers (Milan), light and heavy machine guns (MG 42/59), Lince vehicles, towed artillery (Fh70) and self-propelled artillery (Pzh2000) were sent - in addition to economic contributions. Excluding these last three items, most of the supplies sent were no longer used by the Italian army.

The latest package (the eighth) of sending military materials and equipment to Ukraine was published in the Official Gazette of 29 December 2023 (Ministerial Decree of 19 December 2023). Sending arrived seven months after the so-called "Seventh Package" of military aid published in the Official Gazette on 31 May 2023. Some indications concerning the Seventh Package were provided by the executive at the end of May. On that occasion, the list of armaments was illustrated by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto during a hearing at Copasir. As in the previous packages, on that occasion the content of the new Ukraine decree was 'secreted' and subsequently published in the Official Gazette. The late May decree was the second measure signed by the Meloni government: the first one dated back four months earlier. According to rumours circulating in those days, equipment was sent on that occasion to protect against the Nbcr risk: suits, protective masks, kits to make water drinkable, as well as ammunition. Also in those days, there was talk of sending additional vehicles, howitzers, missile launchers, machine guns and small arms.

The control of the movement of armament materials to and from abroad is regulated in Italy byLaw 185 of 1990, last amended by Legislative Decree 105/2012 and supplemented by the implementing regulation set out in Interministerial Decree (Foreign and Defence) No. 19 of 7 January 2013. With Law 118 of 2013, Italy ratified the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 2 April 2013 and entered into force on 24 December 2014, which, in regulating conventional arms transfers, provides for hypotheses in which the granting of a licence is strictly refused and hypotheses in which a specific risk assessment is required. Law 185 establishes the general principle that the export, import, transit, intra-community transfer and brokering of armament materials, as well as the transfer of related production licences and production relocation, are subject to State authorisation and control. The rule prohibits the authorisation of the movement of defence-related products when they conflict with the principle of the Italian Constitution that repudiates war as a means of resolving international disputes; with Italy's international commitments, including agreements on non-proliferation; with the fundamental interests of State security, the fight against terrorism and the maintenance of good relations with other countries. Transactions relating to defence-related products are permitted only to companies registered in the Defence Register of Companies. These transactions may only have as recipients foreign governments, international organisations recognised by the Italian government and foreign companies authorised by their respective governments.

The government's strategy regarding the crisis in Ukraine was outlined in the last few hours by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Speaking at a Corriere TV forum, the Prime Minister explained that "it is better to strengthen the ability to equip Ukraine with effective anti-area defence systems, a job also done by Italy with the Samp-T, without risking an out-of-control escalation". At a meeting with Meloni on 8 May, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised Italy's support for Ukraine, "including the provision of a Samp T air defence system together with France. "Italy has also signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, contributing to improving the country's defences, supporting the arms industry and countering hybrid threats," a Nato note underlined on that occasion.