Angelo Amante

Italy's government is set to delay the approval of a decree that would allow Rome to prolong military supplies to Ukraine into next year, sources close to the matter said on Tuesday.

An Italian court has ruled that plans for the world's largest suspension bridge between mainland Italy and the island of Sicily would break EU environmental and tender rules, but the government said it would not give up on the flagship project.

Italy urgently needs a new civilian and military unit employing 5,000 people to combat hybrid warfare threats, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said in a strategic report published on Tuesday.

Catholic missionaries sent the artefacts to Rome on the occasion of a 1925 exhibition held by Pope Pius XI that displayed more than 100,000 objects.

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Friday providing more aid to Ukraine would not help end the war with Russia and could "fuel further corruption", referring to a graft scandal that has rocked the government in Kyiv.

Italy will gradually increase its defence budget once out of an European Union excessive deficit procedure, its defence minister said on Wednesday, as the country prepares to comply with higher NATO spending targets.

Italy's Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini on Thursday vowed to press ahead with a bridge linking Sicily to the mainland but said he would answer Court of Auditors' objections that have blocked the project, aiming to avoid an institutional clash.

Italy's Court of Auditors on Wednesday refused to authorise a landmark government plan to build a bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland, casting serious doubt on the viability of the 13.5 billion euro ($15.7 billion) project.

Member states of the European Union must preserve exclusive jurisdiction on national security matters, the Italian prime minister said on Wednesday, as Rome faces scrutiny from Brussels over its use of special powers to shield strategic assets.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday that the European Union is discussing possible initiatives regarding the use of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, but any steps it takes must respect international law.