Italy Delays Ukraine Aid Package With Aster 30 Missiles Amid Coalition Rift

Italy has reportedly delayed approval of its 13th military aid package for Ukraine, which is expected to include Aster 30 missiles for SAMP/T air defense systems, La Repubblica reported Tuesday. The package is ready but frozen amid disputes inside Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition, the newspaper said, citing government sources.

According to the report, approval has already slipped from July to September and then past the League party's congress. Rome may now wait until after the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections to gauge Washington's future approach to Ukraine, the paper reported. Italy's last shipment to Ukraine was reportedly made in December 2025.

Signatures Still Missing

The decree needs signatures from Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti. Crosetto and Tajani support approval, while Giorgetti is reportedly hesitant because of opposition from League leader Matteo Salvini. Crosetto reportedly warned privately that a political obstacle remains, and the final decision rests with Meloni.

The parliamentary committee that must be briefed on the package, Copasir, which oversees Italy's intelligence services, had reportedly not yet been convened. Italian aid to Ukraine has been classified since 2022, and each of the previous 12 packages was authorized through an interministerial decree with a classified annex of equipment.

Missed Deadline for Macron and Zelensky

Meloni's government had reportedly promised French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the package would be approved by the end of October. With days left in the month, that deadline looks increasingly unlikely to be met, according to La Repubblica. The paper also reported that Italian officials have informally asked their Ukrainian counterparts to be patient.

Domestic politics are reportedly part of the calculation. The paper pointed to opposition to arms supplies from former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and to concern about handing political momentum to Roberto Vannacci, with Italians due to vote in the spring of 2027, according to French outlet BFM Business.

Salvini Pushes to Halt Aid, Rome Says Package Is Ready

At the League's extraordinary congress in Milan, which confirmed his leadership, Salvini said he would propose halting arms and funding for Kyiv at a Council of Ministers meeting. Il Sole 24 Ore noted that his party has so far always voted in favor of measures supporting Ukraine.

On Monday, Tajani said the next military aid package was "already ready" and that Italy would send it to Kyiv "as soon as possible." Crosetto said Italy's stance on Ukraine "cannot change," arguing that aid to Ukraine is "aid for our future and our security," Il Sole 24 Ore reported.

On Wednesday, Meloni's cabinet approved a 12-month extension of the state of emergency that allows Italy to send aid to Ukraine. Meloni said she respected Salvini's right to voice the mood of his base, but that the prevailing view in the majority is that continued support for Ukraine is the best way to secure peace, and that she did not expect that to change.

Italy has also recently turned to Kyiv's wartime experience, hiring former Ukrainian defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov as a defense innovation adviser.

Crosetto had struck a similar tone earlier this month, saying Italy had delivered 12 aid packages and would "probably" manage another by the end of the year, while acknowledging that most Italian public opinion opposes aid.

What Is Reportedly in the Package

The 13th package is classified, and the Italian government has not confirmed its contents. In August, La Repubblica reported that it would center on air and missile defense, with four SAMP/T NG batteries, Aster 30 interceptors and seven long-range radars, at a value of nearly 3 billion euros funded through EU loans. Crosetto pushed back on those reports at the time, saying they gave the impression the package had already been approved. Il Messaggero also reported that Italy is expected to give Kyiv access to imagery from two satellites in its Cosmo-SkyMed constellation.

Clash Report had earlier reported on Rome's plan to covertly send interceptors and air defense systems to Ukraine, based on La Repubblica's reporting.

Why Aster 30 Matters

The Aster 30 is the interceptor fired by the Franco-Italian SAMP/T system, which Ukraine uses to defend Kyiv and other cities against Russian aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. La Repubblica wrote that only Italy, together with France, can supply the missile. Ukraine's SAMP/T batteries have reportedly been short of interceptors since the summer of 2025, when French and Italian stocks fell toward minimum levels.

After a July meeting between Macron and Zelensky, France and Ukraine said Paris and Rome would speed up delivery of an agreed number of Aster 30 missiles by October 2026. The joint declaration also said France and Italy authorize licensed production of Aster 30 missiles in Ukraine, that Ukraine intends to order four SAMP/T NG systems financed through the EU's Ukraine Support Loan, and that France would send two SAMP/T systems as an interim measure, with SAMP/T NG deployments starting in 2027. France earlier committed a new batch of Aster 30 missiles alongside a wider Rafale deal.

Interceptor supplies are under strain across the West, with the U.S. Army recently awarding Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion to rebuild Patriot stockpiles.