MUNICH. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, has just opened the meeting of G7 colleagues in Munich by asking his colleagues a minute of silence to honor Alexei Navalny: «For his ideas and for his battle for freedom and against corruption in Russia, Navalny was effectively led to his death. Russia must clarify his death and stop the unacceptable repression of political dissent.”
Strategic support for Ukraine and loans
As part of his participation in the Munich Security Conference, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister today signed some agreements with which our country will support the Ukrainian energy sector. «Italy has been at Ukraine's side since the beginning of the Russian aggression and today we confirm our willingness to help our Ukrainian friends also in the strategic sector of energy infrastructure. A support that we will also bring with the Italian Presidency of the G7, which will continue to keep attention high on Ukraine, and with the Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine that Italy will host in 2025″, declared Tajani.
The agreements signed today by the deputy prime minister, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, and the president of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso, define the terms of a subsidized loan of 100 million euros from the resources of the Rotating Fund for Development Cooperation , managed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (Cdp). With these funds, Italy will provide support to Ukrhydroenergo, the main Ukrainian hydroelectric company. The Italian credit will be an integral part of a program worth a total of 200 million euros – the other 100 million euros will be provided directly by the EBRD – in favor of the Ukrainian state company.
The framework agreement on African countries
Tajani also signed a framework agreement with EBRD President Renaud-Basso for possible new initiatives in areas of common interest, including African countries, where the EBRD will expand its operations. It could serve as a model for possible similar partnerships with other international financial institutions, in line with the spirit of the Mattei Plan.
The proposal of an EU Defense Commissioner
Regarding the proposal by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to establish a Defense Commissioner in the EU, Tajani said he was “absolutely in favor”. “Without EU defense we cannot be equal protagonists in the Atlantic Alliance and there cannot be an effective European defense policy” said the deputy prime minister.
The Israel-Hamas conflict
On the front of the war in the Middle East, Tajani spoke on behalf of everyone on how the G7 «aims to guarantee the security of the state of Israel, we ask for the immediate release of the hostages, we work on a de-escalation and we ask for a suspension of the fighting both to ensure the release of the hostages and to get aid to civilians who are victims of Hamas.” “We support the work of the Palestinian National Authority and ask for a reform of the authority so that it can be a protagonist in Gaza and the West Bank after the end of the conflict,” Tajani said again.
Russia and space-based nuclear weapons
In a document at the conclusion of the informal meeting, the Foreign Minister explained to reporters that together with the representatives of the other countries «we have also dedicated a clear message so that certain limits in space are not exceeded, after receiving news of possible nuclear space initiatives by Russia».
Sending weapons to Kiev
On weapons for Ukraine «let's do what we can do, Parliament has approved the eighth aid package and I believe that this package will be in Ukraine in these days» said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in a press conference. «Let's do that what we must do as Italy to support Ukraine”, he added.
Relations with NATO and the vote in the United States
«The north stars of our relations are Europe and NATO – declared Tajani. We are allies of the USA, we must not interfere in the electoral campaign” and regarding the president of the United States, “we do not make personal choices, we make strategic choices”.
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