Rome rally urges end to Ukraine weapon funding

A demonstration in Rome has called for an end to conflict in Ukraine and for the Italian government to stop providing weapons to the country.

Police estimated that some 30,000 people were involved in the march on Saturday when protesters chanted peace slogans and displayed placards and banners.

The Financial Times reported banners read: 'Down with the guns, raise the wages', 'No weapons, no sanctions. Where is the diplomacy?', and 'Enough weapons for Ukraine'.

"The weapons were sent at the beginning on the grounds that this would prevent an escalation," demonstrator Roberto Zanotto told the news service Agence France-Presse, or AFP.

"Nine months later and it seems to me that there's been an escalation. Look at the facts: sending weapons does not help stop a war, weapons help fuel a war."

Speaking to the FT, another protester, Cynthia Masini, said: "Ukrainians are dying and Russians are dying and it makes no sense. We are sending weapons while our sons and daughters are warm and comfortable in their beds, and children are dying there. It is unacceptable."

The activists demanded an end to the fighting and for diplomatic efforts to negotiate a conflict resolution, reported the FT. Giovanni Timoteo, a member of the Italian Workers' Union, said: "I am against sending new weapons to Ukraine. Today, people want peace with weapons. It is unthinkable. Ukraine has the right to defend itself, but we need a big UN initiative for peace."

Former prime minister Giuseppe Conte backed the march and said Italy should be seeking such diplomatic negotiations, noted the AFP. "Ukraine is now fully armed — we need a breakthrough toward a ceasefire and peace negotiations," Conte told reporters.

Student activist Sara Gianpietro told the AFP the conflict "has economic consequences for our country". Inflation in Italy reached 12 percent in October, which is its highest level in nearly 30 years.

The European Union has imposed a series of sanctions against Russia since conflict in Ukraine broke out in February, and Italy has supported Ukraine with weapon supplies from the start.

Italy's new prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said this position will not change and the government has indicated more weapons would be sent soon, reported the Reuters news agency.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations, or G7, including Italy, on Friday vowed to continue supporting Ukraine after gathering in Germany to decide on how best to coordinate humanitarian, financial, and military aid ahead of the upcoming winter.

Ukraine was on the agenda as Meloni met with top EU officials in Brussels on Thursday.

Meloni has toned down her anti-European rhetoric in recent weeks, and said she wanted "to give the signal of an Italy that obviously wants to participate, collaborate, and defend its national interest, doing so within the European dimension, seeking the best solutions together with other countries".

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Meloni sent a "strong signal" by selecting Brussels for her first international visit.