The day's narrative was dominated by two major stories: a general strike across Italy and President Zelensky's latest statements on Donbass. Morning headlines focused on Zelensky's claims of US pressure to cede Donbass and his call for a referendum on the territory's future, a continuation of the previous day's theme. Concurrently, a general strike organized by Cgil significantly disrupted transport, education, and healthcare nationwide, with unions criticizing the government's budget law.
As the day progressed, the Kremlin intensified its stance, stating a ceasefire in Ukraine was contingent on Kyiv's withdrawal from Donbass. In the evening, President Mattarella reiterated Italy and Europe's support for a just peace in Ukraine and condemned nuclear threats, while the EU approved the indefinite freezing of Russian assets, though Italy and Belgium expressed reservations on their immediate use for Ukraine.