Italy is key in the EU’s collective effort to produce ammunition for Ukraine, said European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton as he met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Thursday.

Breton was in Italy to meet with government officials and defence industry manufacturers as part of his tour of EU defence industries. He met Meloni and Defence Minister Guido Crosetto to discuss European defence and support for Ukraine, particularly regarding the urgent need to increase ammo production.

“The European defence industry is entering a war economy mode, and we need to support it. For the security of Ukraine and Europe”, Breton said.

The EU commissioner called Italy key in the EU’s collective effort to produce ammunition “destined for the security of Ukraine and Europe”, also partly because of an Italian “long tradition in arms production”.

“Italy holds all the cards to fully contribute to strengthening the EU’s production capabilities” in this area, stressing the goal of reaching a production rate of one million in a year.

“Together, we forge a stronger and more resilient Europe”, the EU commissioner said.

During the “long and cordial” conversation between Breton and Crosetto on Wednesday, as described by a Defence Ministry memo, the two discussed the European Peace Facility, which would prove to be “a valuable financial instrument” to economically replenish countries that have supported Ukraine with civilian and military equipment during these months of the war.

In a video posted on Twitter, Breton gave further details about the meeting with Crosetto.

“We discussed the European mobilisation plan to rapidly increase our capabilities to produce European defence equipment, particularly munitions. Italy has an extremely strong defence industrial base,” Breton said in the video.

“In addition to the situation in Ukraine, we exchanged views on the common European response to destabilisation attempts in what we call the contested areas, namely space and cyberspace”, he added.

Italy’s firm position in support of Ukraine was again emphasised by Crosetto as fundamental “also because of the profound reflections that the fate of the conflict will have on security in Europe and the entire Euro-Atlantic area”.

For this reason, and with respect for democratic values, Italy will continue to “assist” Ukraine to stop Russia’s “cowardly aggression” and to pursue a “just peace”, the minister stressed.

The talks were “an opportunity to reiterate the importance of Italy as an absolutely relevant member of the European Union”, Crosetto said.

The minister added that the EU had demonstrated unity by “quickly adapting to the new international context and taking concrete steps in implementing a common vision in security and defence”. One example is the Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM) to train Ukrainian military personnel on European soil.

Before his meeting with Meloni, Breton visited two large military equipment factories and manufacturers’ representatives to assess the needs of the defence industry so that the EU can provide tailored support, possibly through EU funds.

In the coming weeks, the commissioner will continue to engage in dialogue with the EU defence industry and visit industrial facilities to facilitate and accelerate industrial expansion, the European Commission says.

(Federica Pascale | EURACTIV.it)