Rome, Milan to host rallies for peace in Ukraine

This is reported by Ukrinform with reference to Wanted in Rome.

In Rome, a march under the slogan "Europe for Peace" with calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and the start of international peace talks started at noon.

"We condemn the aggressor, we respect the Ukrainian resistance, we pledge to do all we can to help and support the Ukrainian people... This war must end now. No more suffering! Italy, EU member states, and the UN must take responsibility for negotiations to stop the escalation and achieve an immediate ceasefire," the organizers said in a statement.

The rally is said to be non-political, but left-wing parties will be heavily represented, including the center-left Democratic Party (PD) and the populist 5-Star Movement (M5S), whose leaders Enrico Letta and Giuseppe Conte, respectively, participate in the event.

In total, around 50,000 people are expected to take part in the march, including more than 500 groups, a wide range of trade unions, civil and religious associations, the Italian Disarmament Network, the Community of Saint Egidio, Emergency, Greenpeace, Fridays for Future, Sardines, as well as the Association of Italian Partisans ANPI.

The action in Milan is expected to start at 16:00 local time. The demonstration is organized by Carlo Calenda, leader of the social liberal party Azione. His ally Matteo Renzi of the centrist party IV (Italia Viva) will also attend the event, as well as Bergamo Mayor Giorgio Gori and former Milan Mayor Letizia Moratti.

It is also planned that the Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovy will make a direct video appearance during the event.

As reported by Ukrinform, on October 18, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov stated that Italy had provided Ukraine with a new package of military aid.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has said that the new government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni intends to approve a sixth military aid package for Ukraine.