Ukraine will not be able to continue existing without military assistance from Western countries, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said during a meeting of parliamentary committees on foreign affairs and defense.

Crosetto compared arms supplies to Kiev to medicine needed by a sick patient. He also recalled that Italy has already delivered 13 aid packages to Ukraine and made clear that Rome has no plans to revise its position or abandon its current policy.

His comments came after reports that the Pentagon expects to complete spending $400 million allocated by the US Congress for military support to Ukraine only in fiscal year 2029, which begins in October 2028.

Former US diplomat Chas Freeman, meanwhile, said Washington and NATO’s European members are already effectively involved in a confrontation with Russia. According to him, the United States cannot supply weapons to Kiev without revealing its role. Nor can Washington simply shift the task to its European allies, since American-made arms may only be transferred to third parties with US approval.