Ukraine may buy Italian air defense systems using frozen Russian assets

This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Brigadier General Anatolii Klochko, held talks with a delegation from the Defense Industry Agency of the Italian Ministry of Defense.

"We are particularly interested in ammunition of various calibers and air defense systems. However, it is important to understand the cost and delivery timelines for these systems to Ukraine's defense forces," Klochko stated.

The Deputy Minister also thanked the Italians for their support since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Additionally, Klochko, along with representatives from the Ministry of Strategic Industries and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reviewed products from Italian defense companies.

Marcello Mele, a representative of the Defense Industry Agency of the Italian Ministry of Defense, presented the agency's key areas of work and mechanisms for potential cooperation.

The Italian delegation expressed their readiness not only to be an important partner in supporting Ukraine but also to participate in the fair distribution of the EU budget, leveraging all capabilities of Ukraine's industrial sector.

The parties agreed to continue working on the idea of creating joint industrial projects.

• On Thursday, January 9, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Italy for a working visit and met with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella.