Kyiv has requested air defense systems from Rome, including French-Italian SAMP/T, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told Reuters.

According to him, the European Union should provide financial support to countries supplying weapons to Ukraine. He added that Italy is also open to offers of joint purchases from the EU Defense Agency.

He said Europe will never allow Ukraine to be defeated, but added that allies must also lay the groundwork for peace talks and avoid escalating tensions with Moscow. “Nobody will win this war in the traditional sense and they (Russia) are aware of this, but nobody should think that Europe and NATO want someone to lose it at all costs,” Crosetto said.

He added that the outbreak of a full-scale war on European territory has changed the view of defense across the EU, and an overhaul is now needed to face future challenges. “Europe thought it could build its defence in a world without wars .... it woke up from a dream and found itself in a reality in which a traditional war of invasion and territorial occupation was possible,” he said.

Crozetto said European armies will need to look more closely at supporting special forces that respond quickly to threats, while the entire defense industry needs to be more efficient. “The time needed for military research and development is much longer than for non-military sectors and this is another thing that will need to change,” Crosetto said.