Italy intends to supply Ukraine with a missile defense system, but must solve technical problems before it can be sent, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.

Earlier, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that Italy's decision to supply new weapons to Ukraine has been postponed until next month due to political tensions, cost considerations and arms shortages.

Two weeks ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Rome was considering supplying air defense systems after a phone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Shortly thereafter, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto was cautious about whether Italy could supply Ukraine with air defense systems such as the French-Italian SAMP/T.

He said Italy is working with the French side to solve problems before SAMP/T are deployed. There are technical problems to make the instruments work, the military command is working on it, he said.

Citing unnamed sources, La Repubblica reported that Melonistola has encountered resistance after its right-wing allies Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi approved the decree to supply weapons to Ukraine. But sources from the respective political parties denied any problems with the decree.

Another issue holding back the decision was fears about depriving the Italian army of air defense systems, La Repubblica wrote, since two of its five missile batteries had already been sent to Kuwait and Slovakia.