Meloni rejects Putin’s annexation. On Friday, Russia acted unilaterally to annex parts of Ukraine – an expected move that followed sham referenda held at gunpoint. Italy did not recognise their result, as stated on Thursday by outgoing PM Mario Draghi. And his likeliest successor, Giorgia Meloni, just confirmed she wouldn’t veer off the path.
Her full statement. “The declaration of the annexation of four Ukrainian regions to the Russian Federation, after sham referenda held under violent military occupation, have no legal or political value. [President] Putin once again demonstrates his Soviet-style neo-imperialist vision that threatens the security of the entire European continent. Russia’s further violation of the rules of coexistence among nations confirms the need for compactness and unity of Western democracies.”
Steady course. Ms Meloni looks set to maintain Italy’s current policy on Ukraine, as she had already signalled both before and after the elections.
- On Wednesday, she told President Zelensky that Ukraine could “count on our loyal support for the cause of freedom of [the] Ukrainian people.”
- l Her lieutenant Adolfo Urso, who also chaired Parliament’s Intelligence Committee, travelled to Kyiv in September to assure Ukrainian officials of their party’s support and lay the groundwork for future collaboration.
