A rally in Italy calls on the country to stop the supply of weapons to Ukraine

Tens of thousands of Italians marched through Rome on Saturday, calling for peace in Ukraine and urging Italy to cut off arms supplies to fight the Russian invasion.

NATO founding member Italy has supported Ukraine since the start of the war, including by supplying it with weapons. New far-right Prime Minister Georgia Meloni said this will not change and the government is expected to send more weapons soon.

But some, including former prime minister Giuseppe Conte, said Italy should step up negotiations instead.

“The weapons were sent in the beginning on the basis that it would prevent an escalation,” protester Roberto Zanotto told AFP.

“Nine months later, and it seems to me that there has been an escalation. Look at the facts: sending guns doesn’t help stop a war, guns help fuel a war.”

Student Sarah Gianpietro said that the conflict is being prolonged by arming Ukraine, which “has economic consequences for our country, but also for human rights.”

G7 foreign ministers, including Italy, pledged on Friday to continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.