International

Guido Crosetto: Europe Must Unify Against Russia, No Italian Troops for Ukraine

Europe ought to refrain from issuing "grand and contradictory statements" and should instead formulate a clear and unified strategy regarding Russia's involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, as stated by Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.

He emphasised that Rome has no intention of deploying troops to the conflict zone, according to Reuters.

Guido Crosetto, in an interview with La Repubblica on Saturday, urged the Western nations to avoid grandiose proclamations, such as the proposal of NATO troop deployment in Ukraine, or engaging in fragmented discussions, given the collective nature of the European Union's 27 member states.

In countering the unified front presented by Russia, described as "a monolith" by Crosetto, Europe requires a well-defined, internally consistent strategy, potentially developed through collaborative efforts within a coalition framework.

Italy has pledged to supply Kiev with materials and equipment, including weaponry crucial for Ukraine's defence against Russian aggression, by the year 2024. Furthermore, Italy ratified a 10-year defence pact in February, aimed at bolstering support for Ukraine, although the specifics of this agreement remain undisclosed.

Crosetto criticised the recent trilateral meeting involving Germany, France, and Poland, deeming it impractical to fragment the European coalition supporting Ukraine.

Following the meeting, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the intention to allocate the exceptional profits from frozen Russian assets to finance arms procurement for Kiev, reaffirming the commitment to Ukraine's defence.

While acknowledging the pressing need for additional ammunition in Kiev, Crosetto advocated for decision-making processes to be conducted within the framework of EU and NATO assemblies.

Echoing Crosetto's sentiments, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, in a separate interview with Corriere della Sera, unequivocally dismissed the prospect of Italian troop deployment to Ukraine, emphasising the paramount goal of achieving peace over exacerbating conflict.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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