Italy's prime minister arrives in Kyiv

Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, makes her first visit to Ukraine since the beginning of Russian invasion and meets Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Meloni, who took office in October, has repeatedly expressed a desire to visit Ukraine to demonstrate her government's support following Russia's invasion almost exactly one year ago.

NATO member Italy has provided cash and weapons to help Ukraine, and earlier this month agreed to send mobile surface-to-air missile systems that it has jointly developed with France.

"We have provided financial, military, humanitarian and civilian support" to Kyiv "and Ukraine can certainly count on Italy because we have shown since the start... that we were here (for Kyiv) and we will continue to be here," Meloni said at a press conference in Warsaw.

Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has also distanced herself from the more pro-Russian partners in her governing coalition.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, has in the past spoken admiringly of Vladimir Putin and even worn a T-shirt bearing the Russian president's face.

"At the moment the supply of planes is not on the table," Meloni said at a news conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Meloni was forced to reiterate Italy’s firm support for Ukraine last week and said that if he was still leading the government he would not seek a meeting with Zelensky.