“We believe there should be no Italian military presence on Ukrainian territory,” Tajani stated, while also warning that “we are not at war with Russia,” in remarks to the radio station.

However, the head of Italian diplomacy reiterated Rome’s condemnation of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine and emphasized that “we are in favor of strengthening European defense to protect our citizens from any threat that may arise from abroad.”

He recalled that his country has demonstrated its support for Kiev through the provision of military resources and economic and political support.

In the interview, Tajani urged everyone to “work for peace” and to bring together Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin of Russia to reach an agreement and end the war.

Regarding the rising prices of diesel, gasoline, and fertilizers, one of the hottest topics in the national public debate, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister explained that this problem is related to the current international situation.

“That’s why we are working to build peace in the Middle East; that’s the key,” he emphasized, while clarifying that the government is making what he called “great sacrifices to reduce excise taxes, which represent a huge cost to the state budget.”

In his opinion, these are “palliative measures, because until the Middle East problem is resolved, it will be difficult to solve the fuel price problem.”

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