'Nothing will happen by Christmas.' Italian foreign minister on peace in Ukraine
Photo: Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (Getty Images)
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that peace in Ukraine should not be expected anytime soon, stressing that only new sanctions could have an impact on Russia, according to Rai News.
According to Tajani, prospects for peace in Ukraine remain distant, and the only effective tool to pressure Russia for now could be new financial sanctions.
The Italian foreign minister said he does not expect any concrete progress in resolving the war before Christmas. He noted that US President Donald Trump had counted on a constructive position from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, but Putin’s response was "negative."
"The inevitable tool now is new sanctions targeting Russia's finances, that is, preventing Russia from having the financial means to fund its army," Tajani emphasized.
Tajani also dismissed the Kremlin's latest threats as "useless," after Putin declared he would consider European troops a "legitimate target" if they were deployed in Ukraine.
The minister confirmed that Italy will not join the Coalition of the Willing in sending soldiers to Ukrainian territory.
"Instead, we propose another path — a treaty similar to NATO's Article 5. This is a rational proposal that Putin cannot regard as a provocation, but one that would guarantee Ukraine's independence and security," Tajani explained.
On September 8, EU special envoy David O’Sullivan arrived in Washington with a team of experts to discuss sanctions against Russia. However, no EU leaders are part of the delegation.
This comes after Trump claimed on September 7 that European leaders would arrive in the US this week to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
Earlier, European Council President António Costa announced that the EU is preparing its 19th package of sanctions against Russia. The delegation's visit to Washington is expected to help coordinate the details of this package with US partners. It will reportedly include measures targeting Russia's energy sector, crypto exchanges, and payment systems.
