What’s happening:
Amid growing fears of a wider war in Ukraine, Italian President Sergio Mattarella renewed his call for the creation of a European army.
- Speaking on Italy’s Armed Forces Day, Mattarella warned that “new conflicts are emerging in Europe and the Mediterranean,” challenging the postwar security framework.
- “The risk of an expansion of the bloody conflict triggered by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” he said, “requires us to adapt our military tools and build a common European defense force — in close cooperation with NATO — as a guarantee of security for Italy and Europe.”
Diplomatic turbulence. Rome and Moscow are locked in a new diplomatic spat. The spark: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova linked the collapse of Rome’s medieval Torre dei Conti to Italy’s support for Kyiv — a comment Italy called “vulgar” and “unacceptable.”
- The Italian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador.
- Moscow, however, sent a lower-ranking diplomat — Mikhail Rossiyskiy — instead.
- Rossiyskiy accused Italian media of running an “aggressive anti-Russian campaign,” using Zakharova’s remarks as a pretext to attack Moscow.
The response. Italy issued a formal protest, condemning Russia’s “offensive rhetoric” made “while Italy was mourning a tragedy that claimed human lives.”
- The ministry noted that Rome has always expressed condolences when similar events occurred in Russia — making the comments “even more inappropriate.”
- During the meeting, the Russian Embassy reportedly distanced itself from Zakharova’s words, acknowledging the “vulgarity” of the statement.
- Still, the Italian side warned that such “aggressive declarations” only strengthen public support for Ukraine.
The big picture. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said that “peace is no longer a given” and confirmed that Italy’s 12th military aid package to Ukraine is on the way.
- Asked about Zakharova’s remarks, he shrugged them off: “I never read what that lady says,” Crosetto told La Repubblica, calling her statements “a tiny, irrelevant part of Russia’s broader disinformation machine.”
Why it matters: Mattarella’s push adds momentum to a growing debate inside the EU on strategic autonomy.
- With Moscow doubling down, calls for a joint European defense are becoming harder to ignore.
