In talks in Rome, Zelenskyy and Meloni said teams will work out details of expanded defence cooperation, including drones, without announcing immediate agreements

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said they would work to strengthen defence cooperation, including joint efforts in drone production, following talks in Rome.

While no specific agreements were finalised, Zelenskyy said teams from both countries would work out the details in the coming weeks.

“Today we have discussed at length how to strengthen our cooperation in the field of defence,” AFP quoted Meloni as telling reporters.

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“Italy in particular is very interested in developing joint production, especially in the area of drones, a sector in which we know very well that Ukraine has in recent years become a leading nation,” she added.

Zelenskyy’s visit to Italy follows his trip to Berlin, where he and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a strategic defence partnership, also centred on drone technology.

Ukraine has increasingly showcased its drone capabilities, developed during more than four years of war with Russia, particularly amid the broader geopolitical tensions involving Iran. Kyiv has sent specialists abroad and engaged with countries facing similar threats.

“Ukraine has developed a special format of security agreement, which we call the Drone Deal format,” Zelenskyy said Wednesday.

“Our expertise, military experience, and our defensive capabilities in the fields of drones, missiles, electronic warfare, and data exchange – we are proposing to bring all of this together with the capabilities of our partners, so that we support each other,” he explained, through an Italian interpreter.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy underscored the urgency of strengthening Ukraine’s air defence systems following fresh Russian strikes.

“We need air defence missiles every single day – every day the Russians continue their strikes on our cities,” he wrote on X.

Zelenskyy also held talks in Norway with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, with both sides agreeing to deepen defence and security cooperation.

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Meanwhile, Meloni reiterated the importance of transatlantic unity, a day after criticism from US President Donald Trump over Italy’s stance on the Iran conflict.

“A divided West and a fractured Europe would be the only true gift we could give Moscow,” she said.

Despite being one of Washington’s closest allies in Europe and a vocal supporter of Ukraine, Italy has declined to authorise some US military aircraft involved in combat missions to land at its Sigonella base in Sicily.

Zelenskyy is also pushing European nations to join the PURL programme, which allows Ukraine to receive US military equipment funded by European countries.

While Italy has supplied weapons, including the French-Italian SAMP/T air defence system, it has not yet joined the initiative.

With inputs from agencies

First Published:
April 15, 2026, 22:11 IST

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