Giorgia Meloni announced that Italy will suspend the automatic renewal of its defence cooperation agreement with Israel, citing the ongoing conflicts in the West Asia.
Italy’s government has
decided to suspend the automatic renewal of a defence
cooperation deal with Israel, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said
on Tuesday, citing the conflicts in the Middle East.
Meloni’s right-wing government has been one of Israel’s closest
allies in Europe, but in recent weeks it has criticised Israeli
attacks on Lebanon. Those affected have included Italian troops
serving there under a U.N. mandate.
“In light of the current situation, the government has
decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence
agreement with Israel,” Meloni was quoted as saying in Verona,
nothern Italy, by Italian news agencies.
A defence ministry source said one of the consequences is
that Italy will no longer cooperate with Israel on military
training.
Meloni took the decision on Monday with her foreign and
defence ministers, Antonio Tajani and Guido Crosetto, as well as
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, the source said, speaking
on condition of anonymity.
A spokesperson for Israel’s foreign ministry did not
immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Published on April 14, 2026
