SHARE
COPY LINK

UKRAINE

Italy ‘ready to take further measures’ against Russia, Draghi says

In a rousing speech delivered on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mario Draghi reaffirmed Italy's support for Ukraine and said his country "does not intend to look the other way".

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi delivers a speech on the Ukraine situation in Rome's Palazzo Chigi on February 24, 2022, after Russia's ground forces invaded Ukraine from several directions.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi delivers a speech on the Ukraine situation in Rome's Palazzo Chigi on February 24, 2022, after Russia's ground forces invaded Ukraine from several directions. Photo by Remo Casilli / POOL / AFP

Addressing parliament on Tuesday afternoon, Draghi said: “Italy stands ready to take further restrictive measures, should these be necessary.”

“In particular, I have proposed to take further targeted measures against oligarchs. The idea is to create an international public register of those with assets of more than 10 million euros,” he added.

Italy has already contributed financially towards with the emergency, donating €110 million in financial aid to Kyiv.

Draghi’s speech came after the Italian government on Monday passed an emergency decree containing urgent measures in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The government on Monday voted in favour of providing military equipment and materials to Ukraine to assist in its defence against Russia’s invasion.

Cabinet ministers sanctioned “the transfer of military means, material and equipment to the governmental authorities of Ukraine”, a spokesman for Draghi’s office said.

Other measures contained in the decree include the extension of the current state of emergency over the situation in Ukraine, which enables Italy’s parliament to rapidly pass decrees such as this one, until December 31st, 2022; and provisions allowing Italy to revert to coal-based energy sources in the event of gas shortages. 
 
Monday’s decree also reportedly authorises the expansion of reception centres by 13,000 spaces to accommodate the initial anticipated influx of Ukrainian refugees, as well as the establishment of a €500,000 fund to finance scholarships for Ukrainian students, researchers and teachers to attend Italian universities and training institutes.
 
 
The state of emergency relating to foreign intervention does not affect the Covid-19-related state of emergency, which is still due to end on March 31st.

Draghi also spoke of the impending refugee crisis as hundreds of thousands of displaced Ukrainians have already fled their homeland and seek protection in neighbouring countries.

“We are working to open special corridors for orphaned children, to allow them to safely reach our country as quickly as possible,” he confirmed.

The prime minister reiterated his country’s stance on providing military assistance and equipment, while reassuring the Italian public that “the government is working non-stop to counter the possible repercussions for our country”.

At the same time, Draghi did not shy away from underscoring Italy’s intention to play an active role in the defence of Ukraine, adding, “Italy does not intend to look the other way.”

The prime minister also said the international community should “intensify further the pressure on Russia’s central bank”.

The European Union on Monday added top Kremlin-linked oligarchs and President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman to its sanctions blacklist.

More sweeping measures, including prohibiting transactions with Russia’s central bank, have helped plunge the Russian economy into turmoil.

The BIS, dubbed the central bank for central banks, acts as a neutral space where central bankers can meet and discuss monetary policy issues.

On Monday, BIS spokeswoman Jill Forden said it would follow sanctions and not be an avenue for sanctions “to be circumvented”.

Draghi hailed the EU’s “prompt, firm, rapid, strong and above all united” response to the conflict.

“Perhaps Putin saw us as impotent, saw us as divided, as drunk on our own wealth. He was wrong,” the premier said.

“We have been and we will be ready to react, to fight back… to defend our values.”

Draghi repeated his government’s advice that Italians in Kyiv should leave and exercise “maximum caution”.

He said Italian embassy staff had moved to the ambassador’s residence together with a group of Italians, including children.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

EU

Italy’s Meloni hopes EU ‘understands message’ from voters

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Saturday she hoped the European Union would understand the "message" sent by voters in last weekend's elections, after far-right parties such as hers made gains.

Italy's Meloni hopes EU 'understands message' from voters

Meloni, head of the post-fascist Brothers of Italy party, which performed particularly well in the vote, urged the EU to “understand the message that has come from European citizens”.

“Because if we want to draw lessons from the vote that everything was fine, I fear it would be a slightly distorted reading,” she told a press conference at the end of a G7 summit in Puglia.

“European citizens are calling for pragmatism, they are calling for an approach that is much less ideological on several major issues,” she said.

Meloni’s right-wing government coalition has vehemently opposed the European Green Deal and wants a harder stance on migration.

“Citizens vote for a reason. It seems to me that a message has arrived, and it has arrived clearly,” she said.

EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Monday to negotiate the top jobs, including whether European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will get a second term.

Von der Leyen’s centre-right European People’s Party strengthened its grip with the vote, but her reconfirmation is not yet in the bag.

The 65-year-old conservative was in Puglia for the G7 and likely used the summit to put her case to the leaders of France, Germany and Italy.

But Meloni refused to be drawn on whom she is backing.

“We will have a meeting on Monday, we’ll see,” she told journalists.

“We will also see what the evaluations will be on the other top roles,” she said.

Italian political watchers say Meloni is expected to back von der Leyen, but is unlikely to confirm that openly until Rome locks in a deal on commissioner jobs.

“What interests me is that… Italy is recognised for the role it deserves,” she said.

“I will then make my assessments.”

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani indicated that it was unlikely any decision would be made before the French elections on June 30 and July 7.

SHOW COMMENTS