Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni advised U.S. President Donald Trump that the dedication proven by the U.S. towards Iran must also be utilized to ending Russia's battle in opposition to Ukraine, she mentioned on June 25 on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague.
Meloni, an in depth Trump ally and the one European chief invited to his 2025 inauguration, welcomed the just lately introduced ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
She emphasised that sustained dedication can be wanted in Ukraine, the place Russian President Vladimir Putin final week declared "all of Ukraine is ours."
"I spoke about this with President of the USA Donald Trump, to whom I mentioned the identical dedication is required to realize two different essential ceasefires," Meloni mentioned. "One in Ukraine, the place Russia appears unwilling to take any steps ahead, and one in Gaza."
On June 24, Trump introduced {that a} ceasefire between Iran and Israel had taken impact following U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
The escalation adopted Israel's June 13 assault that prompted Iran to retaliate with missile assaults on Tel Aviv and different cities, killing a number of civilians, together with 5 Ukrainian residents.
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump in the course of the summit, held amid considerations over waning U.S. help for Kyiv. Not like in 2024, this yr's communique didn’t straight condemn Russia's invasion, a shift that underscores altering political dynamics inside the Alliance.
The leaders reaffirmed help for Ukraine's protection, saying nationwide contributions towards Ukraine's military-industrial capability will depend towards NATO's new protection spending objective.
All 32 NATO member states agreed to a brand new benchmark, committing to lift protection spending to five% of GDP by 2035. Meloni praised the choice as an indication of unity.
"I consider the unity of the alliance and its willingness to strengthen itself is extra essential, particularly within the context we’re in, and is clearly a vital factor," she mentioned.
The NATO summit comes only one week after Trump departed early from the G7 in Canada, delaying direct talks with Zelensky till June 25.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk