Italy rules out troops for Ukraine, contrasts French stance
A few days ago, French President Emmanuel Macron once again stated that he does not rule out sending troops to Ukraine if the Russians break through the front. When asked whether he was also considering sending soldiers to support Kyiv in the fight against Russia, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto replied succinctly: Absolutely not!
4 May 2024 13:33
"Our position remains unchanged. We have always said that Ukraine should be helped in every possible way, but we have also always ruled out direct intervention of our soldiers in the conflict," Crosetto said in an interview for the newspaper "Corriere della Sera".
The Italian Defence Minister also highlighted that, unlike in some other countries, the Italian legal system has a clear prohibition against direct military interventions that are not provided for by law and the constitution.
- Armed interventions can only be anticipated on the basis of an international mandate, for example in the execution of UN resolutions - added Crosetto.
"Such declarations raise tension"
The Italian Defence Minister emphasized that any potential intervention in Ukraine would not be one of those cases provided for by Italian law. Moreover, in his opinion, such an intervention could only lead to an escalation of the conflict, which "would not benefit the Ukrainians themselves".
"Therefore, there are no conditions for our direct involvement," stated Crosetto.
"I do not judge the president of a friendly country, such as France, but I do not understand the purpose and benefit of such declarations, which actually raise tensions," stated the Italian Defence Minister, commenting on the words of President Emmanuel Macron.
