Ukraine: the UK and France have given the go-ahead for Kyiv to produce cruise missiles. Meloni: we will send more electricity generators

Italia is determined to work alongside its international partners to facilitate a negotiating process towards a just and lasting peace. This was “reaffirmed” by the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, whilst participating via video link in the meeting of leaders of the Coalition of the Willing, held to coincide with the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, as reported in a statement from Palazzo Chigi.

The Prime Minister confirmed Italia’s commitment to humanitarian aid ahead of the winter season, which will continue with the dispatch of further generators, intended in particular to support the resilience of the Ukrainian people and to ensure the stability of the energy grid.

During the summit, according to the statement from Palazzo Chigi, the leaders agreed on the need to strengthen the effectiveness of the sanctions regimeand counter any attempts to circumvent it, in order to further weaken Moscow’s war machine. In conclusion, Meloni reaffirmed Italia’s determination to work alongside its international partners to facilitate a negotiated path towards a just and lasting peace.

On 23 February 2026, as part of the agreements between Prime Minister Meloni and President Zelensky, ten high-powered generators donated by the Department of Civil Protection had arrived in Ukraine from Italia. On that occasion, Ambassador Carlo Formosa had spoken of “a shipment of over 300 boilers currently underway”. The generators, with a total capacity of 1,500 kVA – according to ANSA – are wheeled units, offering a degree of flexibility that makes them invaluable for ensuring uninterrupted power supply in emergency situations.

On the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, ‘France pays tribute to a people defending their freedom, their sovereignty and their future. ‘A free people cannot be subjugated’: so wrote the French President, Emmanuel Macron, in a post on X at the start of the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. ‘France, Europe and all its partners in the Coalition of the Willing stand by their side,’ concluded Macron.

“I have just arrived in Kyiv to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence Day. I am proud to be here on such a significant day, to underline the EU’s unconditional support. Ukraine is a free and courageous nation. Its struggle is also our struggle,” says the President of the European Council Antonio Costa.

To mark Ukraine’s Independence Day, the European Commission has approved new defence contracts for Ukraine worth €6.1 billion. These funds are earmarked for air defence and missile defence systems, missiles, ammunition and radar, confirming Europe’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defence and resilience in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression. The EU executive announced this in a statement.

For weeks, Russia has stepped up its attacks on Kyiv and other urban areas. According to the United Nations, the bombardments have contributed to Ukraine reaching its highest number of civilian casualties since the start of the war in 2026.

Last week, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called for a global response to the ‘escalation’ of the conflict – which has now been ongoing for four years – by Moscow. Zelensky has recently spoken of a plan to end the war, which provides for ‘a ceasefire, a free economic zone and the withdrawal of troops’, drawn up in collaboration with the US and Europe.

The British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is in Kyiv for his first international trip since taking office at the end of July. During his first official visit to Ukraine, he formalised in Kyiv the authorisation to supply classified designs for the Storm Shadow long-range missile. London will thus allow Ukraine and France to set up missile assembly lines on Ukrainian territory, to be used against Russia. This is stated in a British government press release, in which Burnham reaffirms his “100 per cent” support for Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Pope Leo’s envoy, Monsignor ., arrives in Moscow today

“Britain is taking part in this war. It is taking part in this war alongside the regime in Kyiv.” This was stated by the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, commenting on London’s plans to transfer data to Kyiv for the production of Storm Shadow long-range missiles. According to the TASS news agency, Peskov emphasised that the Kremlin maintains an ‘extremely negative’ stance towards the British plans.

Meanwhile, Pope Leo’s envoy, Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, is due to arrive in Moscow today.

On the military front, two children have died and seven others have been injured at a private nursery hit by debris from Ukrainian drones shot down over the southern Russian city of Krasnodar, according to reports in the media in Kyiv and Moscow, citing local authorities. Two adults were also injured in the incident. The attack caused a major fire in a nearby Ozon warehouse, the Russian e-commerce firm reported, adding that no staff members were injured.

This is the third consecutive day that Ozon has been targeted, following Ukraine’s announcement of a wider campaign against Russian logistics infrastructure. For months, Kyiv has been targeting the warehouses of Wildberries, the country’s largest online retailer, claiming that it supplies components to the Russian army. Attacks on these commercial sites, which are far less well-protected than military targets, have already caused billions of dollars’ worth of damage, with several facilities completely destroyed by fire.

Moscow has criticised the attacks on its ‘civilian infrastructure’, more than four years after the start of its large-scale offensive in Ukraine, which has caused tens of thousands of deaths and reduced entire cities to rubble. At least 15 people, including two children, were injured after a building in Chernihiv was struck by a drone in a Russian attack, according to Ukrainian authorities, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. The Ukrainian State Emergency Service explained that rescue workers at the scene extinguished the flames that had broken out as a result of the raid. Meanwhile, attacks on civilian infrastructure and private homes have also been reported in Odessa, including two Epicentr hypermarkets, according to RBC. At least five people were injured in the raids, said the head of the regional state administration, Oleg Kiper.