On August 5 (local time), according to TASS news agency, the leader of the Italian opposition Five-Star Movement party, former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, said that this party will continue to oppose the supply of more weapons to Ukraine.
Mr. Conte's statement, published on August 3, affirmed that the Five Stars Movement will not vote in favor of new military aid packages for Kiev.
We will continue not to vote in favor of providing more weapons to Ukraine," Mr. Conte said.
TASS news agency quoted information as saying that instead of continuing to transfer weapons, the party of the former Italian Prime Minister wants to focus on promoting diplomatic efforts to create a breakthrough in the negotiation process between the warring parties.
Mr. Conte's stance continues to show the difference in the approach of political parties in Italy to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Mr. Conte's statement is said to have increased disagreements in the Italian left-wing bloc, as opposition parties are preparing for the general election scheduled for 2027.
The Five Stars Movement and the Democratic Party have the same approval rating as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's ruling center-right coalition. However, the stance on Ukraine between the parties still has many differences, as the Five Stars Movement opposes arms aid, while many other forces continue to support Kiev.
The level of support of Italian public opinion for continuing aid to Ukraine is still low. This is considered one of the factors that could affect political debates in the near future, especially when the election campaign for the 2027 parliamentary elections is gradually being launched.
Italy is one of the NATO and European Union (EU) member states that has participated in military support for Ukraine since the conflict broke out. However, the issue of arms aid is still a controversial topic in the country's political arena.
