EU-Mercosur, Meloni: signing agreement these days is premature. We need a solid legal basis for the use of Russian assets
This was said by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Chamber of Deputies in her communication ahead of the European Council of 18 and 19 December
Key points
It is important to 'keep up the pressure on Russia', which, contrary to propaganda, 'is mired in a very hard position war at the cost of enormous sacrifices. This difficulty is the only thing that can force Moscow into an agreement'.
This was said by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Chamber of Deputies in her statement ahead of the European Council on 18 and 19 December. She added: "Let us remain clear that we do not intend to abandon Ukraine in its most delicate phase in recent years.
Meloni: no willingness to contribute to peace process from Russia
the negotiation process is at a stage where a package is being consolidated on three parallel levels. It is clearly an extremely complex negotiation, which can only come to fruition if Russia is willing to contribute to the negotiating process in a fair, credible and constructive manner. Unfortunately, to date everything seems to tell that this willingness has not yet matured. This is demonstrated by the constant bombardments in Ukraine," said the PM, who emphasised that the issue of territories was "the most difficult stumbling block to overcome in the negotiations". But "we should all recognise the good faith" of Volodymyr Zelensky "who went so far as to propose a referendum", a hypothesis "rejected by Russia". "Every decision," he reiterated, "will have to be made between the parties and no one can impose their will from outside."
Russian assets need legal basis
The EU Council "is called upon to ensure the continuity of financial support" to Ukraine with the "most sustainable solution for the member states in the short and long term," the premier said, speaking about the decision on the eventual use of frozen Russian assets. "Finding a sustainable solution," she added, "will be far from simple.
Italy considers "obviously sacrosanct the principle according to which it should be first and foremost Russia to pay for the reconstruction of the nation it attacked. But this result must be achieved with a solid legal basis," the premier added. "We also intend to ask for clarity with respect to the possible risks connected to the proposed use of the liquidity generated by the immobilisation of assets, particularly those reputational ones of retaliation or linked to new heavy burdens for national budgets," she stressed. "I want to reiterate this at a time when the government is seriously and determinedly committed to taking Italy out of the excessive deficit procedure inherited thanks to the cheerful budgetary policies of the governments that preceded us.
