Over 60% of Italians oppose continued arms supplies to Ukraine — poll

ROME, October 7. /TASS/. More than 60% of Italian citizens oppose continuing to supply weapons to Kiev, according to an opinion poll conducted by Eumetra in late September.

Asked whether Italy should keep supplying weapons to Ukraine, 61.1% of respondents said no, while 20.6% supported continuing the supplies and 18.3% were undecided. The poll surveyed 800 Italian citizens aged 18 and over.

The share of those opposing arms supplies rises to 76.7% among supporters of the opposition Five Star Movement, which opposes supplying weapons to Kiev. Among supporters of the Democratic Party, with which the movement is seeking to form an electoral alliance, the gap is narrower, with 47.2% opposing further supplies and 41% backing them.

Local observers note that the Ukraine issue will be one of the central topics of the election campaign for the rival center-right and center-left blocs ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.

Rome continues providing Kiev with military support and is preparing another aid package. Although the list of supplies is classified, it will again include components for air defense systems. One of the ruling parties, the League, also supports ending military supplies and converting them into civilian goods.

Russia has repeatedly said that arms supplies to the Kiev regime only prolong the conflict in Ukraine.