Giorgia Meloni has written a scathing letter to the President of the European Council, António Costa, in the wake of the talks held on Wednesday 4 November between representatives of Ukraine, the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the World Bank to discuss Ukraine’s future and reconstruction, to condemn “the proliferation of competing diplomatic formats and initiatives.”
“I am convinced that we all recognise that, by giving the impression of a Europe pulling in different directions, we are doing nothing but playing into the hands of those who want this war to continue,” she wrote, calling for the appointment of a single representative “to speak with one voice on the Ukrainian issue”, and formally requesting that the matter be discussed at next week’s informal summit of EU leaders in Dublin so that a decision on the appointment can be taken at the December European Council.
This is already the second time the Prime Minister has spoken out on the matter, after she publicly criticised last week the initiative taken by the Finnish President, Alexander Stubb, together with the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, to call Putin in the hope of securing some role as ‘mediators’ to bring the conflict to an end.
Undoubtedly, then, even though Giorgia Meloni emphasised in her letter that she was “not seeking a place for Italy or for herself at any specific negotiating table”, the fact that Italy has been consistently excluded from the various more or less ad hoc ‘formats’ that have emerged so far also carries weight.
It should be added, however, that to lend greater credibility to Meloni’s legitimate dissatisfaction, perhaps what is needed first and foremost is a more consistent approach from the government she leads, which involves many players.
It is, in fact, unusual for a Deputy Prime Minister – representing one of the parties in the governing coalition – to campaign for an immediate end to aid to Ukraine, when this very factor is the main glue holding together Europe’s commitment to that country.
So much so that the approval of the military aid package for Ukraine – which Palazzo Chigi has had on hold for many months – will apparently resume only in the coming days (coincidentally after the US mid-term elections?).
Furthermore, Italy has one foot in and one foot out of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” set up by France and the United Kingdom to involve as many countries as possible, including those outside the EU, to draw up plans to coordinate military and intelligence support for Ukraine in light of the US withdrawal and to prepare security guarantees for the future.
Troops from ten member states will take part in a field exercise in south-eastern Poland from 9 to 22 November.
Italy, of course, will not be there. But standing on the sidelines, promising aid only to then have to navigate not only among its own domestic allies but also within the international balance of power – to please one side without upsetting the other too much – is a long-term gamble that is difficult to sustain.
The attempt not to sever ties with anyone – even with those who are clearly pursuing a policy that stands in direct contradiction to the one that European institutions and “willing” countries pursue- undermines the justified call – which we hope will indeed be heeded – to appoint a single European representative at the table for any potential and desirable peace negotiations.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
