--- title: "Italy secretly approves ~€3 billion air defense package for Ukraine: SAMP/T NG, Aster 30, and radars" description: "The Italian government has secretly approved a military aid package for Ukraine worth ~€3 billion: four SAMP/T NG batteries, Aster 30 missiles, and seven radars. The decisions are to be formally enshrined in the 13th \"Aid Decree.\"" date: 2026-08-26T18:02:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/italy-secretly-approves-air-defense-package-for-ukraine tags: [italy, ukraine, military-aid, samp-t, aster-30, air-defense, giorgia-meloni] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Italy secretly approves ~€3 billion air defense package for Ukraine: SAMP/T NG, Aster 30, and radars ![Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Giuditta Pastorella at a meeting in Italy against the backdrop of the Ukrainian flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/27/italya-tajno-soglasovala-paket-pvo-dlya-ukrainy/italya-tajno-soglasovala-paket-pvo-dlya-ukrainy-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The Italian government has approved an air/missile defense package worth ~€3 billion: four SAMP/T NG batteries, Aster 30 missiles, and seven radars. - The decisions are to be enshrined in the 13th "Aid Decree"; a portion of the missiles may be transferred by October. - A licensed production of Aster 30 N1BT interceptors directly in Ukraine is possible. - An ammunition shortage has been felt since the summer of 2025; funding for the package is provided through the EU Ukraine Support Loan. According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has already agreed at a closed level on a new military aid package for Ukraine, focused primarily on air and missile defense. The corresponding decisions, the outlet reports, are to be formally enshrined in the thirteenth "Aid Decree." The discussion of the package coincided with a public signal from Rome: on August 24, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, after a conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, announced that a new delivery was being prepared. ### Composition of the package The core of the package consists of air and missile defense systems. It includes four SAMP/T NG batteries, capable of intercepting ballistic missiles among other targets, as well as Aster 30 interceptor missiles. Seven long-range radars are also planned to be added — six of French production (Thales) and one Italian (Leonardo). ### The French-Italian track According to La Repubblica, the agreements are the result of an accord between Italy and France reached in July. Both countries jointly produce the SAMP/T systems and Aster 30 missiles, which are used to defend against air and missile attacks, so the coordination of deliveries is being carried out within a bilateral track. ### Production license Separately, Paris and Rome may grant Ukraine permission to produce Aster 30 N1BT interceptors directly on Ukrainian territory. Such a step, the outlet notes, is intended to reduce Kyiv's dependence on deliveries of finished missiles from Europe and to ensure a sustainable supply of air defense systems. ### Ammunition shortage Ukraine already has two SAMP/T batteries transferred to it by Italy and France; according to La Repubblica, the systems have proven effective in combat use. However, since the summer of 2025, a problem with ammunition has arisen: stocks of Aster 30 missiles in Paris and Rome have fallen to a minimum level. Production of interceptors is now planned to be ramped up, and Italy is to transfer a portion of the missiles to Ukraine by October, in order to supply both existing and newly deployed systems with ammunition. ### Funding The total cost of the package is estimated at approximately €3 billion. Funding, according to the outlet, is planned to be provided from European Union funds under the Ukraine Support Loan program. Italy has previously stated its readiness to strengthen support for Ukraine in the security and defense sphere. ### Contradictory data There is a discrepancy in the sources regarding the wording on the status of the decision. On the one hand, La Repubblica describes the package as already "secretly approved" by the Meloni government; on the other — only the Foreign Minister publicly announced it on August 24, noting that the package is "being prepared," with final enshrinement expected in the thirteenth "Aid Decree." That is, at the time of publication, the decisions do not yet have a final legal status. In addition, the figures on the composition of the package (four batteries, seven radars, around €3 billion) are given in a retelling of a single primary source and have not been confirmed by official documents from Rome. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Italy secretly decided to provide Ukraine with anti-ballistic missiles, - media](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/italiya-taemno-virishila-nadati-ukrayini-1787767192.html) - Пересказ La Repubblica о тайном согласовании пакета против баллистики; совпадает по сути с базовым текстом. - [Italy preparing €3 billion air defense package for Ukraine - media](https://korrespondent.net/world/4906457-ytalyia-hotovyt-ukrayne-paket-pvo-na-3-mlrd-smy) - Подтверждает оценку стоимости ~3 млрд евро и характер пакета ПВО. - [Italy to secretly provide Ukraine with missiles to counter ballistic threats, – La Repubblica](https://24tv.ua/ru/voennaja-pomoshh-ukraine-italija-tajno-peredast-rakety-aster_n3130538) - Указывает на первоисточник La Repubblica и формулировку «тайно». - [Italy to transfer four SAMP/T NG air defense systems and an Aster 30 license to Ukraine](https://zn.ua/war/italija-peredast-ukraine-chetyre-zrk-samp-t-ng-i-litsenziju-na-aster-30.html) - Подтверждает число батарей SAMP/T NG (четыре) и возможность лицензии на Aster 30. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is included in Italy's new aid package for Ukraine? **A:** Four SAMP/T NG batteries, Aster 30 interceptor missiles, and seven long-range radars (six Thales and one Leonardo). ### Q: What is the cost of the package and where does the funding come from? **A:** Around €3 billion; funding is planned from EU funds under the Ukraine Support Loan program. ### Q: When will the decisions be finally adopted? **A:** They are to be enshrined in the 13th "Aid Decree"; Italy may transfer a portion of the missiles by October. ### Q: Is there a risk that the package will not materialize? **A:** At the time of publication, the decisions have been agreed at the government level but are not yet legally enshrined, and there are no official documents from Rome — so the status of the information is "confirmed with caveats."