Ukraine-Russia, Di Maio: “No bilateral without easing tension”

The crisis between Russia and Ukraine “has undergone a strong and worrying acceleration, which puts the stability and prosperity of the world at risk and above all threatens international order and freedom”. Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said this during a briefing in the Senate, explaining that at the moment no meeting is planned between Putin and Prime Minister Draghi, after in recent days there was talk of a visit to Moscow by the Prime Minister. “This morning we coordinated with President Draghi about the next steps to be taken to favor a diplomatic solution. We are fully committed to multilateral channels of dialogue. However, we believe that there can be no new bilateral meetings with the Russian leaders until there are signs of agreement. easing of tension, a line also adopted in the last few hours by our European allies and partners “, he declared. Read also “We condemn Moscow’s decision to send a contingent of troops with self-styled ‘peace-keeping’ functions to the territories of the two separatist republics. It is a gesture that risks exacerbating an already very tense situation. I remember that a Russian presence is estimated along the borders with Ukraine between 170 and 190 thousand units “, added the head of the Farnesina, underlining that” recognizing the independence of the self-proclaimed separatist republics damages the territorial integrity and full sovereignty of Ukraine, which has already discussion in 2014 with the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula “. Precisely referring to the authorization granted by the Council of the Russian Federation to send military forces abroad and to President Putin’s decision to” recognize the claims of Donetsk and Lugansk on the territory of the whole Donbass “, Di Maio then highlighted that” this double development risks opening the way to a large-scale military operation of Russia in Ukraine, which could be preceded or accompanied by hybrid actions, especially focused on possible cyber attacks. Analysis confirmed by sources within the Alliance “.” In this situation, which could degenerate with very serious consequences for the security of our continent, I believe it is necessary to continue to make every possible effort to preserve the existing gaps for a peaceful settlement of the crisis. We must avoid a war in the heart of Europe. A solution that we still believe possible, even if with margins that are shrinking day by day “, he said. As for sanctions,” Italy has been working for months in Europe and together with the United States to adopt a system of possible sanctions of various nature and intensity, which are marked by effectiveness and firmness in reporting to Moscow the very high costs and consequences that an offensive would bring “.” To be effective, sanctions must act as a deterrent against further military actions and therefore be sustainable, proportionate and gradual, and directly linked to concrete and objective developments on the ground “, Di Maio highlighted, ensuring that” we will work to contain as much as possible the impact on our strategic and economic interests. “We know that our entrepreneurs, from 2014 to today , have suffered heavy losses as a result of the sanctions. Aware of paying an important price for the protection of common values ​​and principles not negotiable – he underlined – we are also aware of the deterrent value of the restrictive measures aimed at preventing Russia from further fueling the tension on the ground. This would imply an even higher price for all the players involved. “” In the NATO context, Italy is doing its part to reassure the allies on the east flank, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, and we consider contributing further to the adaptation of NATO’s posture, whose unity and credibility must be maintained on a political-military level “, he declared.” In particular, today we are present in Latvia with a contingent of about 200 Army units within the ‘ enhanced Forward Presence ‘, and we carry out’ enhanced Air Policing ‘activities in Romania, with about 130 personnel “, recalled the owner of the Farnesina.