Zelensky teases Meloni in Dublin as Italy's Ukraine aid split grows

A teasing exchange in Dublin

Giorgia Meloni and Volodymyr Zelensky met on the evening of 12 November in Dublin, on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit. The encounter began with embraces and kisses, but the opening lines carried a playful jab. Zelensky later published a short clip of the bilateral on his official channels, and in it Meloni is heard saying:

“I haven't seen you in a while”

Zelensky replied that it was Meloni who had not wanted to meet, and she answered 'Nooo' with a smile. The two had not met face to face since the NATO summit in Ankara on 7 and 8 July, and their last formal bilateral was in April, when Meloni received Zelensky at Palazzo Chigi. The exchange landed as the Italian governing coalition is split over military aid to Kyiv.

What Zelensky said about the talks

In the post that accompanied the clip, Zelensky wrote that he had updated Meloni on the negotiating process, in particular the meetings in Abu Dhabi and the next diplomatic steps. He argued that Europe must be fully involved in ending the war, in security guarantees and in the future of the continent. He also said the talks covered Ukraine's defence needs in light of continuing Russian attacks on cities and energy infrastructure, and he thanked Meloni and Italy for their ongoing support. Zelensky also met the national security advisers of the E4 countries, namely the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy, along with officials from the European Commission and the European Council. He thanked them for keeping contact with the American side and said all parties viewed the resumption of negotiations positively, while insisting that any solution be realistic, pragmatic and include Europe.

The 13th aid package and the League

Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti signed the 13th military aid package since the Russian invasion, after criticism that the seal had been missing. Fanpage reports that the League explained he was not in Rome because of health problems, not as a deliberate move. The League also said the package was already covered by a measure the whole majority voted at the end of last year. Il Messaggero reports the package includes Aster missiles for SAMP/T batteries, munitions, satellites and radars to locate enemy positions behind the front line. Matteo Salvini has said the League no longer backs sending weapons to Kyiv, and he set out the party's stance on any future vote:

“When a new discussion arrives in Parliament, we will reiterate that as far as we are concerned, in 2027 we should focus on diplomacy rather than weapons”

Il Messaggero reports the League is ready to block new aid from 2027 and to slow a decree that could extend it by another year. Fanpage adds that the issue is becoming less popular among centre-right voters.

Two possible readings of the email remark

Meloni's remark at the start of the bilateral appears to refer to an email, but the sources differ on which one. AGI and Adnkronos link it to email bomb threats that caused disruption in Italian schools on 11 November. Il Messaggero says she may have been referring to threats sent to Palazzo Chigi with a bomb alarm that turned out to be false. None of the reports confirms which of the two she meant. The sources describe the mood at the table as relaxed, though Il Messaggero linked the exchange to a rift in the centre-right over Ukraine support.