The controversy over Giancarlo Giorgetti's failure to sign the thirteenth military aid package for Ukraine seems to be deflating. The Minister of Economy himself clarified this in a phone call with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni yesterday evening. According to qualified government sources, the Minister of Economy himself clarified this last night in a phone call with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Since it is a classified document, it is explained, Giorgetti, who was in Brussels yesterday for the Eurogroup and Ecofin meetings, would not have been able to read and sign the interministerial decree remotely. A reconstruction that confirms what has already been declared by the deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani, according to which Giorgetti is in favor of the provision and will sign it upon his return to the capital. "There is no mystery, no storm, no clash. Only the physical impossibility of signing", Tajani had said on Radio anch'io on Rai Radio 1. The document, he added, has already been signed by him and by Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and has been stamped by the Mef.
The thirteenth package and the differences in the majority
The clarification on the lack of signature does not erase the political differences that cross the majority on military support for Kiev. The League, with Matteo Salvini, has repeatedly expressed doubts about the sending of new weapons, arguing the need to change approach after almost four years of war and to focus more on the search for a diplomatic solution. A position that differs from that of Giorgia Meloni and Forza Italia, who are in favor of continuing support for Ukraine as long as necessary. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto is expected at Copasir to illustrate the contents of the package: "This afternoon's is a formal step, the authorization is given by parliament at the beginning of the year and after communication to Copasir the aid can start. This is a procedure desired not by this government, but by previous ones. It is not a political issue". Then, regarding the possible lack of Aster missiles supplied by Italy that could be sent to Ukraine, he added: "We have some to keep for ourselves, but I cannot reveal the contents of the aid package".
The mechanism of the decrees and the end-of-year deadline
The sending of Italian military aid to Ukraine follows a procedure started in 2022 by the Draghi government and also maintained by the Meloni executive. The mechanism provides for a law decree which authorizes and defines the framework of the interventions, followed by individual inter-ministerial provisions. The latter are subjected to illustration at Copasir, without it being necessary to make the materials contained in the lists public.
Since 2022, four law decrees have been approved to extend the regulatory framework, which have allowed the sending of twelve aid packages through as many inter-ministerial measures. Crosetto recalled that this is a procedure chosen by the Draghi government and voted for, at the time, by practically all the parties that today make up the majority and the opposition.
The current parliamentary authorization expires on 31 December. The Minister of Defense therefore raised the possibility of extending the mechanism for next year too, with a new decree to be approved by the end of 2026 and to be converted into law at the beginning of 2027. The decision on the renewal will be up to the government and Parliament.
Crosetto: "Russia at the peace table only when it understands that it cannot take all of Ukraine"
On the possible negotiation with Moscow, Crosetto reiterated that the objective must be an effective agreement, without granting advantages to Russia. "I am convinced that Russia will come to the peace table only when it understands that there is no way to conquer all of Ukraine because it is not alone. I think that no one can afford to sacrifice Kiev to Russia, least of all the United States." The minister then recalled the possible consequences for Washington of a possible alignment with Moscow: "For Trump it would be an own goal: with the midterms he paid the economic consequences of the war on Iran, if he aligned himself with Putin he would face damage, not only internal, in terms of credibility. As for us Europeans it is a crucial piece: the defeat of Ukraine would open up worse scenarios".
The minister insisted on the need to reach a solution without offering Russia further propaganda tools: "I continue to say that the only thing that matters is finding a real solution without being fooled by him and without offering other propaganda tools to Russia. It is clear that if we want an agreement, we will also have to sit at the table with Putin, in addition to Zelensky and the USA. But I also say: the right day to sit down together is the one in which there is a real desire for an agreement". In the interview Crosetto also addressed the topic of hybrid warfare and cyberattacks. "If we talk about hybrid warfare, I say: there will always be more. It is not a modern tactic, it dates back to Sun Tzu. Weaken the enemy from within: some apply this teaching in a maniacal and scientific way." On the risks of cyber attacks he added: "without wanting to scare anyone, I'll give some examples: a lethal attack is one that cuts off the power in a hospital, risking causing victims. Or an attack on the INPS that prevents you from paying your pensions. Striking to weaken and frighten a nation".
The Minister of Defense: "Ukraine's request has changed"
In recent days Crosetto explained that the composition of the aid has changed over time also because Ukrainian military needs have changed. "The intensity of the packages was therefore reduced precisely because, as time passed and aid was sent, the things that were really needed were no longer there and were difficult to send", said the minister.
The head of the Defense underlined that the Italian commitment remains confirmed: "We will respect the pacts we have made with our European NATO allies, with the Ukrainian group and with Ukraine". What has changed, he explained, is above all the scenario on the ground. If in the past Kiev managed to intercept 90% of attacks, today the capacity would have dropped to 10%. The technological evolution of Russian systems has had an impact and, in particular, the greater speed of the new Shahed drones, which makes it more difficult, and in some cases impossible, to stop them.
Crosetto: "The war in Ukraine also concerns Italy"
In an interview with Repubblica, Crosetto reiterated that the conflict cannot be considered an issue distant from Italian interests. To explain it, he used the metaphor of a fire in a nearby apartment: ignoring what is happening a short distance away could mean not realizing in time that the flames are also reaching your own home.
The minister also recalled the difference between the Italian and German contributions: in 2025 Germany has allocated more resources to Kiev than Italy has invested in two years. Italian support, he specified, was not limited to military supplies, but also included generators and humanitarian aid.
On a diplomatic level, Crosetto supported the Prime Minister's line, according to which Europe must speak with one voice, and indicated the European presence in the negotiations as an important element in achieving a lasting peace. However, he excluded the hypothesis of a physical presence of European troops in Ukraine, a position that represents an Italian fixed point.
For the minister, Russia will come to a negotiation when it understands that it cannot conquer the entire country and that Ukraine is not isolated. A deal that sacrifices Kiev, he warned, would be a worse solution even for the United States. The diplomatic confrontation with Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky and Washington will only be able to produce results when there is a real desire to reach an agreement.
Finally, Crosetto drew attention to the hybrid dimension of the conflict and the risks linked to cyber attacks, which can affect essential infrastructures and services: from hospitals, left without electricity, to the INPS systems, with consequences on the possibility of providing pensions.
