Ukraine Is Telling Italy Which Weapons Actually Work in War—and Building the Next Ones Together

Ukraine is feeding battlefield experience directly back to Italian defense manufacturers, telling them which European weapons perform well in combat, which fall short, and what Ukrainian engineers have changed to make them more effective, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 20.

Zelenskyy said the relationship goes beyond Italy supplying military assistance to Ukraine, with Kyiv increasingly sharing technical lessons accumulated during years of high-intensity warfare.

“I have a very good relationship with Giorgia Meloni, and I respect her greatly. I am grateful to the people of Italy and everyone who supports Ukraine. But our gratitude is not just words,” Zelenskyy said.

“We are already sharing our experience. They receive feedback from us on which Italian-made and European-made weapons work and which do not, and what we have improved technologically. We share all of this with Italian manufacturers.”

According to Zelenskyy, that exchange is already being incorporated into joint Ukrainian-Italian defense production, with facilities operating in both countries.

“We have established joint production facilities in Italy and Ukraine—these are Ukrainian-Italian companies,” he said.

The president singled out Leonardo, one of Italy’s largest defense and aerospace companies, as an important partner.

“We have a very good relationship with Leonardo. We are grateful to them. And they receive a lot from us. I am very glad that we support each other in this way and that the Italians’ level of technological expertise is increasing.”

Zelenskyy also emphasized the economic side of the cooperation, noting that new facilities opened in Italy employ Italian workers while expanding production capacity that benefits both countries.

Read more

Category

Latest news

A Look Inside Puma, Italy’s Hidden Armor That Quietly Entered Ukraine’s Battlefield

Aug 27, 2025 12:48

“Italians work at the enterprises and factories opening in Italy. I think this is also very important. It means not only jobs but also assistance for Ukraine and Italy.”

Earlier, reports emerged that Ukraine has rapidly become one of the leading buyers of Italian military equipment, climbing into the top tier of customers for Rome’s defense exports.

Help us understand what you already know

Join United24 audience survey