Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while attending the European House-Ambrosetti Forum. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday (September 7, 2024), his office said, as he Pressure on allies to provide more weapons In his country’s fight against Russia.
The two met on the sidelines of the European House-Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio, northern Italy, where Mr Zelensky spoke on Friday (September 6, 2024) and Ms Meloni was scheduled to speak on Saturday (September 7, 2024).
Italy has strongly supported Ukraine and sent arms to defend it against Russian forces, while insisting that they should only be used on Ukrainian soil.
Before heading to Italy, Mr Zelenskyy had laid out his case at a meeting of allied nations at the US Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday (September 6, 2024), where Washington announced $250 million in new military aid for Ukraine.
He also met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The gathering comes as Moscow’s forces advance into the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared on Thursday (September 5, 2024) that capturing the region was his “primary objective” in the conflict, which has been going on for two and a half years.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban – who upset his EU counterparts and Mr Zelenskyy by meeting Mr Putin in Moscow in July – is also attending the three-day Italian forum.
Mr Zelensky rejected Mr Orban’s call for a ceasefire in Cernobbio, saying Mr Putin had never respected earlier agreements.
Published – September 07, 2024 03:37 PM IST