Jens Stoltenberg’s statements continue to fuel the debate political also in Italy and the reactions follow one another. The NATO secretary general called on allies who supply weapons to Ukraine to “consider” ending the ban on using them to strike military targets in Russia, because Kiev “has the right to defend itself and this also includes striking targets on Russian territory “. But what is the position of our country at the moment?
League: “Government censors Stoltenberg”
In the majority the attack on Stoltenberg comes from the League. “This gentleman either apologizes, or rectifies, or resigns,” he says bluntly Matteo Salvini. The League is ready to file an agenda or a question aimed at censoring the words of the general secretary of NATO. The first signatory was the senator Claudio Borghicandidate in the EU, who explains to Adnkronos: “With the first available tool we will file a parliamentary text to invite the government to censor the words of Stoltenberg who, without any mandate to do so, envisaged an offensive and non-defensive use of military aid sent to Kiev to support Ukraine”.
“We don’t need any military escalation and we are not at war with anyone – says the Northern League member – Predicting the use of Italian soldiers or the use of our weapons to strike the territory of another nation is madness and Stoltenberg has no right to drag us into armed conflicts.” “NATO is a defensive alliance, if he wants he can make war but without us”, concludes Borghi.
Meloni: “We need to be cautious”
On the NATO issue and Stoltenberg’s words, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Melonion In half an hour on Rai 3, observes: “I believe that we need to be cautious, but I also believe that it is right for NATO to maintain its steadfastness”.
“Without prejudice to the fact that there are unknowns, I consider the alarming story of a Europe on the brink of a broad conflict to be counterproductive, and whoever feeds this story is irresponsible. Deterrence is the only remedy, if we talk about diplomatic channels it is because up to now it has been maintained balance between forces”, says Meloni recalling the Latin motto ‘if you want peace, prepare for war’.
As for the League’s announcement, “we will see the text exactly and evaluate it”, he comments to Affaritaliani.it Raffaele Speranzon, deputy group leader of the Brothers of Italy and member of the Defense and Foreign Affairs Commission of Palazzo Madama. “It is certainly unacceptable that the secretary of NATO or a single member country can dictate the line of the Atlantic Alliance.”
Words in the wake of those pronounced in an interview with La Stampa by the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto: “There is no NATO secretary or one nation that decides the line for all the others.” And this applies to Stoltenberg “but it also applies to Macron, when he said ‘we will send our soldiers to Ukraine’. NATO is moving, and will move in the meeting we will have in Washington in July, bringing projects, plans, ideas. Single pushes are worth little.”
Forza Italia makes itself heard through the voice of its leader, Antonio Tajani: ”We will not send any Italian soldier to Ukraine, we will not use our military tools to shoot at Russia. Decisions are made by NATO all together. We have already agreed with the Ukrainians that all our military tools, and we control their use, cannot be used beyond the borders of Ukraine”.
”We are not at war with Russia – he reiterates – We only want to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine, because we are aiming for peace, because only if Putin does not win will he be forced to sit at the table with Zelensky and sign the peace. And we want to do the same in the Middle East”.
The Democratic Party stings the prime minister. “When the Meloni government started, the majority seemed united on everything. Today they disagree on everything. And on the unity of the government regarding foreign policy? What does Meloni think of Salvini’s League question on Stoltenberg’s words?”, asks the PD deputy and PD group leader in Montecitorio’s Defense Commission Stefano Graziano.
Second Massimiliano SmeriglioAvs MEP, “there is great confusion in the government. Stoltenberg, whose mandate is expiring, is working on a hypothesis which for me is terrible because it is a further escalation and puts us in a position to objectively become co-belligerents”.
#Stoltenberg #Ukraine #NATO #weapons #Russia #Italys #reactions #position