What is Italy sending to Ukraine. Word of Crosetto
Here is what Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in answering the question time in the Chamber on military support for Ukraine, in particular on the type of supplies and the related economic-financial profiles.
The means sent to Ukraine derive from previous decrees and the government is working to restore stocks.
This is what the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto reiterated, answering the question time in the Chamber on 29 March on military support to Ukraine, in particular on the type of supplies and the related economic-financial profiles.
“Regarding the transfer of armaments to Ukraine, I do not see any element of discrepancy between what the prime minister said in his communications to parliament last March 21-22 and what I stated about the need to restore stocks necessary for national defence” replied Crosetto in response to the affirmations of the group leader of the 5 Star Movement in the Chamber Francesco Silvestri.
All the details.
CROSETTO'S SPECIFICATIONS ON THE WEAPONS SENT TO UKRAINE SO FAR
Minister Crosetto underlined that "the means, materials and military equipment to be transferred to Ukraine to which the Prime Minister referred are those included in the so-called sixth decree, the first and currently the only one of this government". At the same time he specified that "my reflections on the need to restore stocks refer to all the materials sold, including those included in the previous five decrees, decided by another government, also with the support of a large majority of the previous Parliament, of which some of the questioners were also members".
NECESSARY REGARDLESS OF A CONTINUOUS REPLACEMENT OF STOCKS
Furthermore, "the transfer of materials to Ukraine – explained the minister – is part of the normal life cycle of the equipment, which provides for continuous updating to the most advanced technological standards, in order to maintain a cutting-edge military instrument, allowing the other the necessary interoperability with the armed forces of our allies. All this, therefore, makes it physiological to proceed with a continuous replenishment of stocks both for the end of their operational life and for their modernization, regardless of the Ukrainian need. It's always been like this. National defense needs therefore require the availability of adequate stocks".
ACCESS TO THE EPF
In this regard, Minister Crosetto recalled that "for this purpose, the European Union has authorized access to the European Peace Facility (Epf), established in March 2021, in order to economically re-integrate the effort made by the Member States in support of Ukraine following the aggression suffered by the Russian Federation”.
"And Italy, like other EU member states – the minister announced – has had access to the Epf, and at present sees an initial allocation of tranches of funds in partial reimbursement of the economic value of the supplies sold and will be disbursed in three stages over the three-year period 2023-2025".
CROSETTO REITERATES THAT ITALY WILL NOT SEND MILITARY TO UKRAINE
“Italy has no intention of sending troops to the field”, Minister Crosetto specified again.
ABOUT THE SAMP-T SYSTEM
Moving on to sending the Samp/T air defense system, in coordination with France , “I believe it is necessary to clarify how Italy is making certain components available from a non-operational asset. Nonetheless, these components, once integrated with those offered by the French, will constitute a complete defense system, used by Kiev after the necessary training of personnel” Crosetto highlighted.
“I am convinced that it is right to train personnel to defend Ukrainian cities from Russian missile attacks. This is not a means used to attack, but serves to defend oneself,” the minister remarked.
COSTS AND SUPPLY DETAILS CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
Finally, the defense minister reiterated that "the components sold would have been subject to modernization and renewal programs regardless of the Ukrainian need".
As regards the costs of military supplies to Ukraine, the minister recalled that "like the details, this is classified information, and as such, made known and documented to Copasir, on the occasion of the sharing of the six authorizing legislative decrees" .
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/armi-ucraina-e-ripristino-scorte-le-precisazioni-del-ministro-crosetto/ on Fri, 31 Mar 2023 12:07:56 +0000.