Italy says Macron’s statements about possible intervention increase tension

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto considered that statements by French President Emmanuel Macron about the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine “increase tension” surrounding the conflict started by the Russian invasion.

The Italian ruler’s position is contained in an interview by Guido Crosetto with the daily newspaper ‘Corriere dela Sera’, published today.

“I do not judge the President of a friendly country like France, but I do not understand the purpose and usefulness of these statements, which objectively increase tension,” said the Italian minister.

Crosetto reaffirmed that Italy’s position does not change and that, although it has always defended the need to help Ukraine, “direct intervention by the Italian military in the conflict was excluded”.

“Ukraine must be helped to avoid an extension of the conflict, but all forms of dialogue must be sought, starting to weave the diplomatic network”, stated the official.

The Italian Minister of Defense also recalled that in Italy there is an “explicit prohibition on direct military interventions outside of those provided for in the laws and the Constitution”, and that the country can only carry out “armed interventions under an international mandate, for example in application of a resolution of the UN”.

“All countries can do something more in terms of aid, but above all we must believe in and insist on diplomacy. We must do everything to reach a truce: even if the result is one day without bombing, because it could turn into two, three, four [dias]”, he stressed.

Thursday, in an interview published in the British weekly The Economist, Macron reaffirmed the possibility of sending Western ground troops to Ukraine in the event that Russia “breaks through the front lines” and Kiev requests such support.

“If the Russians cross the front line, if there is a Ukrainian request – which is not the case currently – we should legitimately raise the question,” said the French President.

“Delete [o cenário] ‘a priori’ would be not learning the lessons of the last two years”, when NATO countries initially ruled out sending tanks and planes to Ukraine, before changing their minds, Macron maintained.

Regarding the situation in Israel and the war in Gaza, he assured that Italy is “a friendly country”, but that it has also “been very tough” with the Israeli government and that it is working “openly for a truce and so that they are not killed more innocent.”