Italy announced Saturday that it fully supports Germany's participation in the "Global Air Combat Program" to develop a next-generation fighter jet, denying the validity of media reports that Rome sought to prevent Berlin from joining.
The government said in a statement that a report published by Britain's Financial Times newspaper suggesting that it opposes German accession is "completely misleading" and does not reflect the long-standing position Rome has taken.
Italy confirmed Germany's welcome to join the program, noting that it had previously offered Berlin to join initially as an observer only to facilitate the exchange of information and accelerate its path towards full membership.
Rome explained that the proposal was intended to accelerate Germany's participation while maintaining the program's timeline and progress, and was not intended to limit Berlin's role in the future. The statement said Italy reiterated its position during the program's latest video conference, adding that it saw German participation as a "positive opportunity".