Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, assessed the recent agreement between the United States and Russia regarding diesel supply as a "very risky" choice. She stated in a session at the Italian Parliament that this agreement undermines efforts to force Vladimir Putin to sit at the negotiating table with Ukraine.
Agreement Between Washington and Moscow
The agreement signed between the United States and Russia commits Moscow to initially supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets. Meloni commented on this, saying: "The outcome of this decision is uncertain, while the risks are clear." She added that this agreement legitimizes Moscow while bombs are falling on Ukrainian cities and helps increase the war revenues of the country.
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Criticism and International Consequences
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly criticized this agreement, describing it as "an investment in a war that must end." On the other hand, U.S. President Donald Trump believes this action could lower energy prices in the United States, a topic that poses challenges for his Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
Meloni also emphasized in Parliament the need to appoint a "credible figure" from the 27 EU countries to negotiate regarding the Russia-Ukraine war and spoke about the possibility of granting a formal mandate to the E3 group consisting of Germany, France, and Britain. She stated: "If France, Germany, and Britain believe they can act better alone than we can, they should at least do so on behalf of all and with a formal mandate."
Additionally, Meloni referred to security issues and emphasized that the EU summit will discuss what she describes as the escalation of Russia's hybrid attacks. These attacks include drone infiltrations, cyberattacks, sabotage, and other covert operations aimed at undermining support for Kyiv. She stressed the necessity of protecting critical infrastructure such as energy networks, underwater cables, ports, and airports, stating that Italy has high expertise in this area.
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