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Italy prepares to close airspace to Russian planes

Italy said on Sunday it would close its airspace to Russia flights, joining other European countries in ramping up sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

Published: 27 February 2022 13:32 CET
Italy prepares to close airspace to Russian planes
The Russian presidential plane Iljuschin Il-96. More EU countries are moving to ban Russian aircraft from its airspace. (Photo by ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE / POOL / AFP)

“Italy is closing its airspace to Russia,” a government spokesman said in a brief statement, shortly after other European countries such as Germany, Sweden and Denmark announced similar measures.

The measure starts from 3pm Italy time on Sunday, Palazzo Chigi confirmed.

Italy joins other European countries in stepping up sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Luxembourg, Belgium and Poland have closed their airspace to Russian flights, forcing westbound Russian planes to make enormous diversions.

EXPLAINED: How Italy could be impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Swedish EU Minister Hans Dahlgren said that beyond individual European countries shutting off their airspace to Russian aircraft, closing the whole of European airspace is on the table.

EU leaders will meet again later today to discuss the latest package of sanctions against Russia.

Member comments

  1. Sidebar: The aircraft in the photo is a Russian made Ilyushin Il-96, which is an older aircraft mostly used in Cuba now.

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UKRAINE

Italian deputy PM Salvini calls France’s Macron ‘danger’ for Europe

Italy's deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, accused French President Emmanuel Macron Saturday of endangering Europe by refusing to rule out sending Western ground troops to Ukraine.

Published: 24 March 2024 09:38 CET
Italian deputy PM Salvini calls France's Macron 'danger' for Europe

The comments by Salvini, whose far-right League party is a member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition government, came during a gathering in Rome of right-wing and nationalist European leaders to rally support ahead of EU parliamentary elections in June.

Macron’s suggestion last month that Western ground troops could be sent to Ukraine was “extremely dangerous, excessive and out of balance,” Salvini told the event organised by the European Parliament’s Identity and Democracy political group.

“I think that President Macron, with his words, represents a danger for our country and our continent,” Salvini said during his speech, which largely stressed conservative family values.

“The problem isn’t mums and dads but the warmongers like Macron who talk about war as if there were no problem now,” he added.

“I don’t want to leave our children a continent ready to enter World War Three.”

READ ALSO: Macron says ground operations in Ukraine possible ‘at some point’

Portugal’s Andre Ventura, leader of Portugal’s far-right party Chega that surged in a general election earlier this month, also spoke at the event, as did Harald Vilimsky of the Freedom Party of Austria and former US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, among others.

France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen did not personally attend, instead sending a video message.

The outspoken Salvini, who serves as transport minister, is a hardline populist whose comments have often landed him in hot water.

Earlier this month, he responded to the Russian election result by saying: “When a people vote, they are always right”.

Following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny last month, he said it was “up to Russian doctors and judges” to determine the cause.

Salvini has previously expressed his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Macron’s comments last month in which he refused to rule out putting troops on the ground in Ukraine prompted a stern response from Berlin and other European partners.

 
 
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