War in Ukraine: Italian ministers opposed to the possibility of sending troops
Two ministers from the Italian right-wing and far-right government, led by Giorgia Meloni, have expressed their total disagreement with the idea of sending troops to support Ukraine, launched by Emmanuel Macron.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto at the Pentagon in Washington on June 23, 2023. AFP - STEFANI REYNOLDS
By: RFI Follow
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With our correspondent in Rome,
Anne Le Nir
The possibility of sending ground troops in support of Ukraine would be out of the question for the Italian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense.
“
Sending NATO troops to Ukraine would be tantamount to risking a third world war
,” the head of diplomacy, Antonio Tajani, told several media.
And added: “
We must help Ukraine to defend itself, but not to wage war against Russia.
»
In
an interview with the daily
La Repubblica
, the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosseto, echoed him by affirming that Rome would “
never send soldiers to the conflict zone
”.
Furthermore, he strongly criticized
the meeting between the French, German and Polish leaders
, which was held on March 15 in Berlin.
“
Europe should refrain from airing its contradictions over the war in Ukraine.
Faced with the “monolith” that is Russia, the European Union needs a clear, non-contradictory strategy, and perhaps to build itself as a coalition
,” he said.
So many words which aim, above all, to reassure the Italians.
According to a recent Ipsos-Italy survey, 43% of the population fears a global conflict.
Also read: Emmanuel Macron says that sending Western troops to Ukraine in the future cannot “be ruled out”
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