Ukraine, Zelensky “willing” to Kiev: Meloni remote, Italy cornered by Paris-London axis

Three years after that historic train journey in June 2022, when then German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi together with French President Emmanuel Macron went to Kiev to support Ukraine in the conflict unleashed by Vladimir Putin's Russia, that scene repeated itself .

This time, however, Italy is missing from that photo. Next to the two leaders of Germany and France is Keir Starmer , the British Prime Minister who more than anyone else is pushing for a “ coalition of the willing ” that can support Kiev and Volodymyr Zelensky in light of the substantial US disengagement due to the “new course” in the White House of Donald Trump , who since taking office has been pushing for a peace agreement even at the cost of giving in completely or almost completely to the Kremlin's demands.

Rome is not present at the announced visit to Kiev of the major European leaders. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni did not go to Ukraine and will only connect via video conference with the other presidents and prime ministers to discuss the "coalition of the willing".

RT wartranslated “Major meeting in Kyiv: European leaders have arrived. Macron, Tusk, Starmer, and Merz will join the “Coalition of the Willing” to discuss aid to Ukraine and scenarios for ending the war. pic.twitter.com/I4SfLBH5UB “

— GMan (Ґленн) ☘️🇬🇧🇺🇦🇺🇸🇵🇱🇮🇱🍊🌻 (@FAB87F) May 10, 2025

The current primary goal is to promote a 30-day ceasefire in the war, far from the unilateral one Vladimir Putin wanted on May 9 and Victory Day, the celebrations of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

The date chosen by European leaders to travel to Kiev was no coincidence, just 24 hours after the celebrations in Moscow's Red Square , where Putin showed off his extraordinary propaganda machine, effectively comparing the Soviet involvement in the Second World War to the invasion of "Nazi" Ukraine.

And Italy? While maintaining a straight line on support for Kiev, despite the presence in the majority of a party like Salvini's League that strongly feels the sirens of Russia, Giorgia Meloni has once again been cornered by Franco-English activism on the Paris-London axis, thus remaining outside the photo of European leaders, including Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk .

Together. 🇺🇦🇫🇷🇩🇪🇬🇧🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/m0QLtrNeac

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 10, 2025

The problem for the Prime Minister is also the other Donald, US President Trump: Meloni is once again divided by the desire not to break with the White House and to keep "a foot in both camps".