Italy’s PM set to help organize Zelensky–Putin meeting

"The aim is now to get Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky sitting at the table. Italy is doing everything possible to support this direction," Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi said after the informal EU summit on the Ukraine crisis on Thursday, ANSA informs.

Draghi added he would soon travel to Moscow to discuss this issue with Putin.

At the same time, the PM of Italy noted there had been no sign of Russian de-escalation at Ukraine's borders.

“For the moment we have not seen instances of de-escalation on the ground. We must pursue the strategy of strong deterrence [against Russia], we must not show we are weak," he went on.

Draghi also said that NATO was united and would not renege on its principles.

"Our unity is the thing that has most struck Russia. We could have split because, for example, there are very many countries in NATO, and not only that which is defined as the West. We cannot renounce the founding principles of the Alliance," he stressed.

Earlier this week, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the intensification of negotiation formats and the unblocking of the peace process with Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.

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