“The conditions” on Putin’s part for a ceasefire “are not ripe but the Mariupol corridor was opened, which is the news you saw today”. Mario Draghi said this during the meeting with the foreign press referring to the interview with the head of the Kremlin. “I expressed my conviction – he added – that to resolve crucial issues we need a meeting with Zelensky who has been asking for it from the beginning. And Putin replied that times are not ripe. One of Putin’s points is that there are small steps forward. in negotiations “.
The premier explained that Italy was “requested by Russia and Ukraine as guarantor for the implementation of any negotiation clauses “. Draghi: ‘Italy requested as guarantor from Russia and Ukraine’
“In fact – observed the premier – the positions of the two sides have come a little closer”, but I am “cautious because there is still a lot of skepticism”. “We all want to see a glimmer of light.” “Sanctions work, peace can be achieved if Ukraine defends itself, otherwise peace cannot be achieved,” he added. “In all this, I reaffirmed Italy’s willingness” to collaborate to build a path of peace “which was accepted and the phone call ended with the intention of keeping in touch”.
“If Putin has changed his attitude since the war began
The answer is complex. I think I have noticed a change, but I am cautious in the interpretation “of these” signs because the situation is evolving. I think I noticed a change in tone, but I could not say if it is true, in a 40-minute phone call and difficult to understand. “To a journalist who asked him if during yesterday’s call Putin did not seem well informed, he replied : “You can’t tell from a phone call.”
THE CONFERENCE
“To help Ukraine and show us so united and compact in the war and also to defend the multilateral order, the rules that have accompanied us since the end of the second war and have given democracy, peace and well-being. Multilateralism must adapt like globalization but don’t stop: let’s defend these values ​​with conviction “. “Multilateralism and defending peace, NATO and multilateral”. We must “overcome the current system linked to national decisions and if we are serious” we must proceed “immediately with coordination on defense: who spends, how much does it spend. We must ask the Commission” to start “from there, otherwise we are not serious and we do not talk about it more. Don’t take it lightly. ”
Building a “European defense” is fundamental to building “a political union. Building European defense is the most important step because it involves accepting to have a common foreign policy. It means that we will all be allies forever in the future and this would be the biggest goal ever achieved “.
“I – he said in another passage – have positive expectations” on the “role of China” which “could become a major player in the peace process. We need to see if the expectations are confirmed” by China’s behavior.
“On the Def – given by replying to a question on this point – there is no specific indication of military expenditure”. “The 2024 constraint – he explained – is a constraint that was actually taken as an indication and not as a goal and many EU governments have disregarded it. Italy has a level a little below Germany, far below France and the United Kingdom. We are around 1.4% but the target of 2% is a target to aim for with continuity and realism. There is no surprise in this trend target “.
“We will also have a meeting with the Italian trade unions next week,” said Draghi, speaking of the measures that the government is planning to support businesses and families to fight the high prices due to the Ukrainian crisis.
“Putin’s words were: the existing contracts remain in force, the European companies, and he remarked that and a concession only for them, they will continue to pay in euros or dollars. The explanation on how to reconcile the two positions , dollars and paying in rubles, it took a long time and I listened saying that then the technicians would get in touch. What I understood is that the conversion is an internal fact in the Russian Federation. Now there are analyzes underway to understand what it means “.” It seems to me that it is not easy to change payment currencies without violating contracts. ”
“I judge the French EU presidency very positively. I find that Macron’s activism on various fields, on peace, on European defense, on Europe, is an activism to be approved and which I share”.
“Osce is directly involved in starting negotiations, it is a very important channel of connection. The UN is very present on the humanitarian front. In Italy we have 80 thousand refugees, in Germany over 300 thousand. The more the humanitarian consequences will spill over into the war. the more important the UN will be “.
“I would like to thank for the invitation and all of you – said the premier at the beginning of the conference – for the work you do, you are eyes and ears on Italy, your role is fundamental”.
