ROME – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Tuesday that her administration will halt the automatic renewal of a military cooperation agreement with Israel due to ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.
While Meloni’s conservative administration has maintained strong ties with Israel among European nations, recent weeks have seen Italy condemn Israeli military operations in Lebanon. These strikes have impacted Italian military personnel deployed in the region as part of United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Speaking in Verona in northern Italy, Meloni stated: “In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,” according to Italian media reports.
According to a defense ministry official, the suspension means Italy will end its collaboration with Israel on military training programs.
The prime minister made this determination Monday alongside Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, the anonymous source revealed.
Israeli foreign ministry representatives have not yet provided a response to requests for comment.
