Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is traveling to Kyiv on Monday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to a knowledgeable source on Sunday, Meloni, who took office in October, said she plans to visit Kiev before Feb. 24, the anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Despite friction over the issue within Italy's right-wing governing coalition and divided public opinion, Meloni strongly supports Ukraine.

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of Forza Italia, a conservative party in Meloni's coalition, said last week that he blames the Ukrainian president for the war with Russia and, if he were Meloni, he would not meet with Zelenskyy.

The European People's Party (EPP), of which Forza Italia is a part, said Friday it was canceling a planned June event in Naples because of Berlusconi's remarks about Ukraine.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, a founding member of Forza Italia, said Saturday he met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Munich and assured him of Italy's support.

Italy and France recently concluded talks on supplying Kyiv with modern air defense systems.