Italy is focusing on supplying medical equipment for maternity wards in Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.
“We promptly provided Ukraine with industrial boilers and electric generators to cope with power outages and supply disruptions caused by Russian attacks. Now we are focusing on sending medical equipment, especially for maternity wards,“ she said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Rome on Wednesday.
”I believe that we Italians should be proud of this work done to support the civilian population,” she said.
Meloni also emphasized that “Italy is very interested in developing joint production of drones, a sector in which Ukraine has become one of the world leaders over the years.”
The results of a public opinion sociological survey conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in cooperation with the information and analytical center Experts Club indicate a sharp improvement in Ukrainians’ attitudes toward Italy. Overall, 70.2% of respondents evaluate the country positively, while negative attitudes account for only 0.5%. Compared to August 2025, positive assessments increased by more than 10 percentage points (from 57.3%), while negative ones significantly decreased (from 2.3%).
The structure of responses demonstrates not only growth in positivity, but also its qualitative strengthening. The share of “completely positive” attitudes is 19.3%, while “mostly positive” accounts for 50.8%. This means that the positive perception of Italy is not situational, but stable in nature and is formed among the majority of respondents without significant reservations.
The share of neutral assessments is 28.9%, which is a moderate indicator and indicates a sufficiently formed perception of the country. The negative segment is practically absent: only 0.5% of respondents chose the option “mostly negative,” while “completely negative” attitudes were not recorded. The share of those who were unable to determine their answer also stands at 0.5%.
The dynamics of changes between 2025 and 2026 is one of the most indicative among all countries. The growth of positive assessments is accompanied by an almost complete disappearance of negative ones, which indicates a consolidation of public opinion in a positive direction. Unlike cases where polarization or an increase in neutrality is observed, in the case of Italy a clear and stable positive image is being formed.
From an analytical point of view, this means that attitudes toward Italy are moving into the category of a high level of trust. The combination of a significant share of “mostly positive” and the growth of “completely positive” assessments indicates strengthening emotional certainty and a reduction in the level of doubt in the perception of the country.
“In the case of Italy, we see an example of rapid positive consolidation of public opinion. The growth of positive assessments is accompanied by an almost complete disappearance of negative sentiment, which is quite a rare dynamic. This indicates the formation of a stable positive image of the country in Ukrainian society,” said Oleksandr Pozniy, Director of the research company Active Group.
Overall, the results of the study show that Italy occupies one of the strongest positions among countries with a positive perception in Ukraine. A sharp increase in positivity, a minimal level of negativity, and a stable structure of responses indicate a formed and consolidated image that has the potential to remain устойчивый in further dynamics.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, Italy ranks sixth in terms of total trade in goods with Ukraine, with a figure of $5.02 billion. At the same time, imports from Italy slightly exceed Ukrainian exports, forming a moderate negative balance for Ukraine.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center, and the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the website of the Experts Club analytical center.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, ITALY, LATER, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE
The municipality of Farini in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna has launched a program to sell homes for a symbolic price of €1 in order to encourage the restoration of abandoned properties and revitalize the town. According to a notice from the municipality, the program involves properties transferred by private owners that are planned to be repurposed for residential, tourist, commercial, and other uses. Farini’s official website also states that the municipality has a population of 1,047.
Authorities state that the initiative’s goal is to renovate dilapidated buildings, attract new residents, and boost the area’s economic appeal. Applications are open to all interested parties, even if they do not reside in Farini, as well as third-sector organizations active in the local community. In return, buyers are required to renovate the purchased property and maintain it in good condition.
The municipal website already features at least one property in the “Houses for EUR1” showcase—a four-story stone residential building in the Valle di Cogno San Bassano area. The description states that the building is not subject to any special restrictions and can be restored not only as housing but also for commercial, tourism, or craft-related activities.
The Farini program has also attracted market attention because such schemes are usually associated with southern Italy, whereas in this case, the initiative is taking place in the northern part of the country. For small municipalities, such initiatives remain one of the tools for combating depopulation, expanding the tourism base, and returning vacant properties to use.
Prices for existing housing in Italy rose by 1.5% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter, with the average asking price reaching €1,891 per square meter. This is according to a report by the analytical division of idealista.
According to the source, price increases were recorded in 80% of the country’s administrative centers. The most notable quarterly increases occurred in Belluno (8.7%), Cremona (6.9%), and Lecco (6.4%). Among major cities, Bari, Cagliari, Rome, Bologna, Catania, and Florence showed positive trends, while Naples saw a slight decline of 0.4%.
Milan remains Italy’s most expensive city, as before, with a price of €5,192 per square meter. It is followed by Venice—€4,897 per square meter, Bolzano—€4,869, Florence—€4,602, and Bologna—€3,717. Rome ranks sixth at €3,369 per square meter. The most affordable cities were Caltanissetta—€653 per square meter, Ragusa—€730, and Biella—€752.
At the regional level, price growth has spread across nearly the entire country. A quarterly decline was recorded only in Molise and Basilicata, while the strongest growth was seen in Valle d’Aosta—4%, Veneto—3%, as well as Liguria and Tuscany—2.2% each. Trentino-Alto Adige remains the most expensive region at €3,266 per square meter, while Molise is the least expensive at €911 per square meter.
The market maintains positive momentum across most of Italy, though macroeconomic factors—including interest rates and inflation—may influence it in the coming months. The idealista index itself is based on asking prices published in listings, not on the actual prices of completed transactions. The methodology also excludes auction properties and atypical listings, and the median price is used as the benchmark.
According to the Relocation.com.ua project, Italy is tightening controls on vacation rentals and short-term leases following the launch of a municipal monitoring tool within the national BDSR accommodation database and the mandatory national identification code (CIN). Back in June 2025, the Italian Ministry of Tourism provided municipalities with a special digital dashboard that allows them to identify properties without a CIN, track non-compliance, and strengthen oversight at the local level.
As the ministry explains, the BDSR and the CIN system operate under Article 13-ter of Decree-Law No. 145/2023. The new municipal interface includes four main functions, including viewing properties without a CIN, verifying mapping data, and tools for reporting violations. The Ministry explicitly calls this system a step toward greater digitization and transparency in the short-term rental market.
Practical results of this policy have already emerged in some cities. In Bologna, following the first inspections conducted in collaboration with the Guardia di Finanza and the municipality, 80 illegal accommodation properties were fined, while authorities stated that the analysis also revealed other irregularities in the tourist rental market.
Thus, reports that Italy is moving toward mass inspections of tourist apartments are generally confirmed. This initiative is based on the national BDSR database, the mandatory CIN code, and the provision of digital tools to municipalities that enable the systematic identification of illegal or improperly registered short-term rental properties.
Ten high-power generators donated by the Italian Civil Protection Department have arrived in Ukraine as part of an agreement between Presidents Giorgia Meloni and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the Facebook page of the Italian Embassy in Ukraine.
“As with the more than 300 boilers, Italy continues to support the Ukrainian people with concrete, coordinated assistance aimed at protecting the most vulnerable segments of the population. In winter, under constant pressure on civilian infrastructure, the ability to maintain a constant power supply can be crucial for people’s safety and dignity,” said Italian Ambassador Carlo Formosa.
It is reported that the generators, with a total capacity of 1,500 kVA, are mounted on wheels, allowing them to be quickly deployed and moved according to operational needs.
“Italy continues to make efforts to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of essential services for the Ukrainian population in conditions where Russian attacks continue and winter temperatures remain extremely low,” the embassy stressed.
