Italy's right-wing leader Giorgia Meloni, who will shortly become the country's prime minister, expressed her support for Ukraine in a telephone conversation on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Sources say Meloni pledged full support for the freedom of the Ukrainian people. She also said Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian regions holds no legal or political weight.

Zelenskyy congratulated her on the victory of her "Brothers of Italy" party. He also expressed the hope that Meloni will be able to visit the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as soon as possible.

Meloni is expected to take office later this month.

But the leaders of her coalition government's prospective partners are known to be more accommodative toward Russia. This is raising concerns that the new government could take a pro-Russian stance and affect the unity of the European Union on the situation in Ukraine.