Meloni hosted Zelenskiy at his official residence for a private conversation that lasted less than an hour.
She assured Italy’s “full support” for Ukraine so that the country and its people could defend themselves against Russia’s war of aggression, the prime minister’s office said.
The statement also noted that “the best possible conditions for a just and lasting peace” will be created for Kyiv.
“I am deeply grateful to Italy and the Italian people for their unwavering support,” Zelenskiy wrote on the social media platform “X” during the meeting. “Together we can move closer to a just peace and strengthen our common positions.”
Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace in Rome on Friday morning.
Meloni has been one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in Kyiv’s fight against Russia’s war since she took office as prime minister at the end of 2022.
However, among the leaders of the EU, she is considered the politician who has the closest relations with the circles of the newly elected US President Donald Trump.
Although the US has been Ukraine’s most important ally since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Trump has repeatedly threatened to suspend US aid to Kyiv.