Ukraine, Borrell-Tajani tension: “Ridiculous not to allow Kyiv to attack”

Brussels – On the Russian war in Ukraine, there is now an EU-Italy rift and tension between the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani. The former does not like the latter’s line and criticizes his arguments. To deny, as Tajani did, the possibility of the use of allies’ weapons on Russian soil is a logic regarded as hypocritical. “I think it is ridiculous to say that allowing to strike inside Russian territory means being at war with Moscow,” Borrell argues at the beginning of the informal meeting of defence ministers, returning to Tajani’s yesterday’s statements.

To explain the Italian government’s “no” to lifting restrictions on the use of Western weapons, the Foreign Minister said the Union is not at war with Russia, and the High Representative insists on chastising the partner: “We are not at war with Moscow, I think it’s ridiculous to say that. We are supporting Ukraine.” Here is the distinction made by Borrell in response to Italy’s unwelcome statements. “Ukraine,” Borrell continued, “is attacked from the Russian territory and, under international law, it can react by attacking the places from which it is attacked. So, there is nothing strange about this.” 

From Italy, therefore, unacceptable statements and incomprehensible positions. It remains firm for member states to have the right to choose, but Borrell neither denies nor questions this. “It’s clear that this is up to each of them,” not least because foreign and defence “is not an EU policy.” Then, to Tajani, who accused him of speaking in a personal capacity, he retorted, “As High Representative, I have to have personal views if I want to push consensus among member states.” Informal meetings open a rift between Meloni’s government and the EU.