Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the Italian Parliament to ask for more sanctions against Russia
Italian parliamentarians listening to the speech of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 22, 2022. © Remo Casilli/Pool via AP
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4 mins
For 11 minutes, Volodymyr Zelensky took stock of the situation in Ukraine and renewed his call for assistance from the countries of the European Union and the G7.
A request to which the head of the Italian government Mario Draghi responded, promising to strengthen aid from Italy, including military.
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“
Imagine Genoa completely destroyed after weeks of bombardment
”.
It is with these words that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alerted Italian parliamentarians to the extent of the destruction of the city of Mariupol, a city in southeastern Ukraine surrounded and bombarded by Russian forces.
The Ukrainian president notably recalled that 117 children had already been killed since the start of the Russian offensive launched on February 24, according to a count by the Ukrainian general prosecutor's office.
After declaring “
our people have become our army and a bulwark for Europe
”, he thanked Italy for having already welcomed more than 60,000 refugees.
But Volodymyr Zelensky is asking for more sanctions.
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia,
Volodymyr Zelensky has not ceased to ask Westerners to strengthen the measures
taken against Moscow to end the war in his country and avoid the repercussions of the conflict elsewhere in the world.
Addressing the Italian parliamentarians, he castigated without quoting them “
the procrastination
” of Western capitals in “
the pressure exerted on Russia”.
Words applauded for a long time and followed by a speech by the President of the Council Mario Draghi who praised the courage of the Ukrainians.
“
The resistance in all places where the ferocity of President Putin is rife is heroic.
Ukraine is not only defending itself, it is defending our peace, our freedom, our security.
Faced with the massacres, we must respond with aid, including military aid.
Italy wants Ukraine in the European Union
”, reports our correspondent in Rome,
Anne Le Nir
Warning against export declines
“
The consequences of this war are felt in various parts of the world and not only in Europe.
And let's not forget about the famine that is approaching various countries
, ”also warned Volodymyr Zelensky.
“
Ukraine has always been one of the largest and most important food exporters.
But how to sow under the fire of the Russian artillery?
We do not know when we will have the harvest and if we will be able to export
,” the Ukrainian president continued.
► To read also: War in Ukraine: "Food prices could increase by 8 to 20%"
“
We cannot export corn, oil (...) so many necessary products.
And this also concerns your neighbors on the other side of the sea. The prices are rising, tens of millions of people facing your shores will need help
, ”he assured as Italy welcomes each year on its soil thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean at the risk of their lives.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has propelled the prices of oils, wheat, soybeans, rapeseed and corn to record levels and caused
the prices of fuel
and fertilizers to soar.
Italy, vacation spot for the oligarchs
Ukrainian President Zelensky also asked Italy “
not to be the place
” which welcomes Russian oligarchs “
on vacation
”.
"
You must not be the place that welcomes these people, we must block everything, immobilize real estate, their accounts and their yachts, from "Scheherazade" to the smallest, immobilize the assets of all those who in Russia have decision-making power
said Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the Italian press quoting the team of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny, the 140-meter-long yacht "
Scheherazade
", moored in Tuscany, belongs to Russian President Vladimir Putin, many of the crew members being members of the FSO, the Russian personality protection service.
► To read also: War in Ukraine: the yachts of the Russian oligarchs in the crosshairs of Europeans
The head of the Italian government Mario Draghi recalled in his speech after Volodymyr Zelensky's intervention that Rome had immobilized "
more than 800 million euros
" in the property of Russian personalities targeted by Western sanctions and that it is trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas as quickly as possible.
(
With
AFP)
All of our daily, live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
© FMM Graphic Studio
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Volodymyr Zelensky