<p>Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose far-right government backs Kyiv, on Thursday said she wanted to visit Ukraine early next year.</p>.<p>Meloni has reaffirmed support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion, although her government includes the far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing Forza Italia parties.</p>.<p>Both Matteo Salvini of the League party and former premier Berlusconi have long enjoyed warm relations with Russia.</p>.<p>"I will call (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy to present my wishes and to organise this trip that I intend to make in the first months of next year," Meloni said during a programme on Italian television Rai 1.</p>.<p>"We are in the period when nearly all cultures around the world celebrate light" while Ukrainians "live in darkness", she said.</p>.<p>Moscow has attacked power plants and other civilian infrastructure in Ukraine while the country shivers in the winter cold.</p>.<p>"Just imagine what it would be like to turn everything off during the festive period, even if it's only for an hour: gas, electricity, telephone, television... We would understand... just how much their ability to resist is remarkable," she said.</p>.<p>Meloni's predecessor, Mario Draghi, visited Kyiv in June with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.</p>
<p>Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose far-right government backs Kyiv, on Thursday said she wanted to visit Ukraine early next year.</p>.<p>Meloni has reaffirmed support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion, although her government includes the far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing Forza Italia parties.</p>.<p>Both Matteo Salvini of the League party and former premier Berlusconi have long enjoyed warm relations with Russia.</p>.<p>"I will call (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy to present my wishes and to organise this trip that I intend to make in the first months of next year," Meloni said during a programme on Italian television Rai 1.</p>.<p>"We are in the period when nearly all cultures around the world celebrate light" while Ukrainians "live in darkness", she said.</p>.<p>Moscow has attacked power plants and other civilian infrastructure in Ukraine while the country shivers in the winter cold.</p>.<p>"Just imagine what it would be like to turn everything off during the festive period, even if it's only for an hour: gas, electricity, telephone, television... We would understand... just how much their ability to resist is remarkable," she said.</p>.<p>Meloni's predecessor, Mario Draghi, visited Kyiv in June with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.</p>