Italian politics are bewildering at the best of times, but now we see Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni railing against her critics on the left and the right as she vows to continue to aid Ukraine until they are finally liberated from the Russian invasion. She had harsh words for anyone calling for a "peace" that carves up sovereign Ukraine. And her position is not the prevailing sentiment in Italy either according to the polls, so what she's doing is politically brave. And morally correct.
Source: European Pravda
During a speech in the Senate on Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni started shouting as she explained the importance of further support for Ukraine to a member of the Five Star Movement Party.
Meloni was responding to MP Elisa Scutellà, who had raised the possibility of "stopping" support for Ukraine.
"Perhaps, Mrs Scutellà, you will inform Putin of this? I'm surprised you're telling us that. Why? This is surely a betrayal of our position. Because it means that we approve of the invasion of Ukraine. Because if we stop, we are giving our consent; let’s call a spade a spade: we are approving the invasion of Ukraine!" the Italian Prime Minister said.
She added that for her, it is hypocritical to confuse the words "invasion" and "peace", and stressed that Rome should not approve of the invasion of Ukraine.
"This does not mean not working on a peace plan or resolving the conflict. But do you think anyone likes war? Do you think anyone likes it? No! But the situation is a little more complicated than the propaganda says when it comes to a perfect peace," Meloni said.
The Italian Prime Minister went on to address the issue of peace in Ukraine, noting that for any negotiations, it is necessary to demand that Russia stop fighting and withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine.
"Do you think that it is necessary to give Moscow the territories that it occupied and where it held a ‘referendum’ on self-determination? Or not? That's what I'd like to hear if we're serious about peace. Otherwise, you are engaging in irresponsible propaganda at the expense of a sovereign nation, a free people, and international law," she concluded.
And her unwavering stance is not as popular in Italy as it is in other European countries.
A poll last month found that 45% of Italians are against sending weapons to Ukraine, compared with only 34% in favour. Supporters of Meloni’s own Brothers of Italy party are particularly sceptical about her Ukraine policy, with 47% opposed to arms deliveries.
Another poll this month found that 42% of Meloni voters want the war to end as soon as possible, even if that means Ukraine giving up some of its territory. Only 32% of them support a protracted war allowing Ukraine to beat Russia out of its territory altogether. Yet Meloni insists that military aid will continue “regardless of its impact on the consensus”, and no matter the views of her unhappy coalition partners.
