(Finance) – The hostility in Ukrainewhile on the front of the negotiations they are registered small steps forward. “The conditions” by Putin for a ceasefire “they are not mature but then the Mariupol corridor was opened which is the news you saw today”.
He said it Mario Draghi during the meeting with the foreign press referring to the interview with the head of the Kremlin. I expressed my conviction – he added – that to solve crucial issues we need a meeting with Zelensky who has been asking for it from the beginning “.
“In fact – observed the Prime Minister – the positions of the two sides have come a little closer”, but I am “cautious because there is still a lot of skepticism”. “We all want to see a glimmer of light, he added.” Sanctions work, peace can be achieved if Ukraine defends itself, otherwise peace cannot be achieved “, he continued, reaffirming Italy’s readiness” to collaborate to build a path of peace “which was accepted and the phone call ended with the intention of keeping in touch.”
“If Putin has changed his attitude since the war began? The answer is complex. I think I have noticed a change, but I am cautious in interpreting” these “signs because the situation is evolving. I believe I have noticed a change in the tones, but I couldn’t tell if it’s true, in a phone call of 40 minutes it is difficult to understand “.
The Premier explained that Italy was “requested by Russia and Ukraine as guarantor for the implementation of any negotiation clauses”.
On gas: “Putin’s words were: existing contracts remain in force, European companies, and he remarked that it is a concession only for them, will continue to pay in euros or dollars. The explanation on how to reconcile the two positions, dollars and paying in rubles, took a long time and I listened to them saying that the technicians would then get in touch. What I understood is that the conversion is an internal fact in the Russian Federation. Now there are ongoing analyzes for understand what it means. It seems to me that it is not easy to change payment currency without violating contracts “.
The Premier also spoke of the construction of a European army with 5,000 soldiers: “We are talking about European defense not only for current events. The construction of a common defense is the most important step for a common European policy. We would all be allies forever, for a continent like Europe it would be a great goal. We must go on this road, Italy has always been convinced “.