Italy wants to provide military assistance to Ukraine only in exchange for "diplomatic efforts" from Kyiv

The Italian government is preparing the eighth package of military aid to Ukraine, but believes that Kyiv needs to start looking for diplomatic ways to resolve the military conflict.

"There are two ways," said Defense Minister Guido Crozetto, speaking at a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday. – "It is assistance without any ifs or buts, and an attempt to build a diplomatic path that will lead us to the end of the conflict. In the coming months, we need to balance the policy of containment and diplomacy."

The government of George Maloney does indeed continue to provide active support to Ukraine. The prime minister herself is convincing her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban to unblock economic aid to Kyiv worth 50 billion euros, Bloomberg writes. But we need to be realistic, insists Crozetto.

"We cannot ignore the situation on the battlefield. It seems the time has come for an effective diplomatic solution. Unfortunately, the summer counteroffensive in Ukraine did not bring the desired results," the defense minister said.

Crozetto, who previously headed the Italian Association of Defense Industries, expressed doubt about "Ukraine's real ability to withstand Russian forces... in a situation of their constant superiority in numbers and air power."

At the same time, diplomatic efforts should allow Ukraine to achieve a "just peace," he emphasized.

The minister also believes that negotiations can begin only after Russia stops attacking Ukraine with missiles and drones:

"We cannot start negotiations while bombs are falling. We need to convince the attackers to stop."

If Ukraine is left to its own devices, it will have grave consequences for European security, warned Crozetto. Therefore, Maloney's government does not intend to weaken its support for Kyiv.

The prime minister and her colleagues are negotiating with the Hungarian government at various levels, persuading it to withdraw its objections to the allocation of €50 billion in economic aid to Ukraine in 2024-2027 and not to interfere with Ukraine's negotiations to join the EU.

Background. Back in April, Crozetto expressed a desire to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table with Russia through Chinese mediation. According to him, everyone is pouring gasoline on the fire of war, but there is not a single firefighter.