Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomes Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at Palazzo Chigi prior their meeting in Rome on December 9, 2025.
Filippo Monteforte / AFP
The Italian PM told Zelensky that the benefits of peace are greater than the costs of what appears as a surrender.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has long been dubbed the ‘bridgemaker’ between the EU and the U.S.—in particular, with Donald Trump’s administration. And she appeared to fulfil this role during her meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, during which she stressed “the importance of unity of views among European and American partners.”
While the Brussels establishment seems set on undermining U.S.-led peace talks, suggesting instead that the war with Russia can end on the battlefield, Meloni said she was focussed on “the next steps to be taken to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Ho incontrato oggi a Palazzo Chigi il Presidente dell’Ucraina, @ZelenskyyUa.
Nel corso dell’incontro, abbiamo analizzato lo stato di avanzamento del processo negoziale e condiviso i prossimi passi da compiere per il raggiungimento di una pace giusta e duratura per l’Ucraina.…
Italy’s Il Sole 24 Ore financial newspaper reported that during their hour-and-a-half meeting, Meloni told Zelensky that—in the paper’s words—“public opinion is tired” and “solutions must be found to end the conflict. Quickly.” The PM is also said to have urged Kyiv to “prioritise the benefits of the ceasefire over the costs of what appears to the Ukrainians as a surrender,” adding that—in her words—“robust security guarantees” will help to uphold this peace.
The Formiche magazine said in its own report that while other European leaders say they are “sceptical” of ongoing peace talks, “Meloni has not changed her mind on the diplomatic negotiations for the war in Ukraine, neither after the first draft of the [U.S.] plan nor after its narrowing from the initial 28 points to the current 19.”
Zelensky later thanked Meloni for her government’s support.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also commented on national television that “the Italian government’s position on the conflict in Ukraine is balanced.”
We are not at war against Russia. The sooner we sit down at the table, the better for everyone.
On the question of funding for Ukraine, Salvini stressed that “I won’t take money away from Italian healthcare for a war that’s already lost.”
📺 #Salvini a #4disera: "Penso che la posizione del governo italiano sul conflitto in Ucraina sia equilibrata: non siamo in guerra contro la Russia. Prima ci si siede a un tavolo e meglio è per tutti. Questa guerra è costata 300 miliardi di euro e Trump ha già detto che non…
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
