«It is not necessary to seek roles, but to seek peace. I will do it relentlessly, you can count on me and on the Italian government “And he added: today” seeking peace is difficult: to seek peace you must want peace and those who have 60 km of tanks on the outskirts of Kiev do not want peace Right now”. Thus the Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the Chamber of the Chamber, replying in the debate on his communications on the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. «It is not true – said Draghi – that we have resigned ourselves not to pursue peace, there is no resignation. I am grateful for the role that some of you want to attribute to me in this search for peace, I believe that it is not necessary to seek a role but that it is necessary to seek peace. You can count on this, I will do it without pause and with all my will ».
The debate
Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the Senate where the bipartisan resolution was approved with 244 votes in favor, 13 against and 3 abstentions, spoke during the day addressing the report on the crisis in Ukraine. Rejected the four resolutions presented respectively by Paola Nugnes (Misto, Mattia Crucioli (Alternative), Elena Fattori (Misto) and Gianluigi Paragone (Italexit) who were opposed by the government. “The aggression – premeditated and unmotivated – of Russia towards a Neighboring country takes us back over eighty years. It is not just an attack on a free and sovereign country, but an attack on our values of freedom and democracy and on the international order that we have built together. historian Robert Kagan, the jungle of history is back. Now it’s up to us all to decide how to react. Italy does not intend to turn the other way. “Prime Minister Mario Draghi said this in the Senate where the bipartisan resolution was approved with 244 votes in favor, 13 against and 3 abstentions Rejected the four resolutions presented respectively by Paola Nugnes (Mixed, Mattia Crucioli (Alternative), Elena Fattori (Mixed) and Gianluigi Paragone (Ital exit) which were opposed by the government.
“The multilateral institutions created after the Second World War seemed to be destined to protect us forever. That we could take for granted the achievements of peace, security, well-being that the generations that preceded us had achieved with enormous sacrifices.
The images that come to us from Kiev, Kharkiv, Maripol and other cities of Ukraine fighting for Europe’s freedom mark the end of these illusions. The heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people, of their President Zelensky, put a new reality in front of us and force us to make choices that were unthinkable until a few months ago. I want to reiterate, once again, all my solidarity, that of the Government and of the Italians to President Zelensky, to the Ukrainian Government and to all citizens of Ukraine. I also want to express my closeness to the 236 thousand people of Ukrainian nationality present in Italy who are experiencing dramatic days for the fate of their loved ones “, said the premier.
Ukraine, Draghi: “Quick, firm and unified response. Peace is not taken for granted “
The head of government underlined how Italy responded to President Zelensky’s call for equipment, armaments and military vehicles to protect itself from Russian aggression: “It is necessary that the democratically elected government be able to resist the invasion and defend the country’s independence. To a people that defends itself from a military attack and asks our democracies for help, it is not possible to respond only with encouragement and acts of deterrence. This is the position of Italy, of the European Union, of our allies ». «A long column of military vehicles – about 60 km long, according to the latest news – is on the outskirts of Kiev where missile raids were recorded during the night, even to the detriment of residential areas, and explosions. The latest news tells us of a new attack on the city, ”the premier underlined.
War in Ukraine, bombs on the TV tower in Kiev and the Holocaust memorial. The alarm of the Ukrainian Church: “An air attack on the Cathedral of Saint Sophia is ready”
UPDATES FROM UKRAINE FROM FRANCESCA MANNOCCHI, MONICA PEROSINO AND ROBERTO TRAVAN. LIVE BY CHIARA BALDI, DANIELA LANNI, MARINA PALUMBO
Then he took stock of Italy’s gas supplies in consideration of the fact that our country is the one most exposed to the crisis since imports are equal to 95% of consumption and over 40% comes from Moscow: “In the short term, even a complete shutdown of gas flows from Russia starting next week should not pose a problem. Italy still has 2.5 billion cubic meters of gas in storage and the arrival of milder temperatures should lead to a significant reduction in consumption by households. Our forecast is that we will be able to absorb any peak demand through volumes in storage and other import capacity. However, in the absence of supplies from Russia, the situation for the coming winters, and perhaps even a little earlier, in the more immediate future, risks becoming more complicated. The Government – he reassured – is studying a series of measures to reduce Italian dependence on Russia ”.
Ukraine, Draghi in the Senate: “Russian invasion is the end of the illusions of peace”. Applause for Zelensky
Perhaps this is also why the premier’s attack on Moscow is extremely harsh: «In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea with an illegal referendum, and began to support the separatist forces in the Donbass from a financial and military point of view. Last week, he recognized – in total disregard of Ukrainian sovereignty and international law – the two so-called republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Immediately afterwards, following weeks of disinformation, he invaded Ukraine under the pretext of a “special military operation” ».
Ukraine, Draghi: “I admire the courage of the Russians demonstrating against the war, the Kremlin listens to them”
Underlining that the measures applied have hit the Moscow government hard, Draghi explained that “Italy is ready for further restrictive measures, should they be necessary. In particular, I proposed to take further targeted measures against the oligarchs. The hypothesis is to create a public international register of those with assets exceeding 10 million euros. I then proposed to further intensify the pressure on the Russian Central Bank and to ask the Bank for International Settlements, which is based in Switzerland, to participate in the sanctions ”.
Draghi: “There are no signs of interruptions in gas supplies”
Then, to diversify energy sources «we must first of all aim for a decisive increase in the production of renewable energy – as we do in the context of the“ Next Generation EU ”program. We must continue to simplify the procedures for onshore and offshore projects – as we are already doing – and invest in the development of biomethane. Gas remains a useful transition fuel. We must think about an increase in our regasification capacity and a possible doubling of the capacity of the TAP pipeline ».
«The government – he continued – is also working to mitigate the impact of any problems regarding energy supplies. There are currently no signs of an interruption in gas supplies. However, it is important to evaluate any eventuality, given the risk of retaliation and a possible further tightening of the sanctions ».
“We must think that in the end all this comes out with peace, and to get there we need dialogue, but I have the impression that this is not the time – said Draghi during the replies to his speech -. Yesterday you saw the second, third attempt by President Macron to speak, you saw his statements denied by the statements from Russian sources. So, the time will come and for that you have to keep your attention alert, you have to grasp that moment when it comes. I have the impression that it is not there now, but we remain ready. We have to deal with the history of today and tomorrow ».
Italian solidarity
“Another very touched point is that of solidarity: I have spent a lot of my speech on what the government is doing, we will do even more, all that is possible”. Then he added: “On the other hand – he added – solidarity is characteristic of Italy, we have always been the first in solidarity”.
Draghi’s rejoinders on the EU: “These events made Europe more united”
«The force of the European Union is a peace force. There is no expansionist aim, we leave that to those who attacked Ukraine ».
Draghi on Macron’s invitation: “A connection was attempted but it was not possible”
Regarding the lack of attendance at the dinner at the Elysée yesterday evening, “I would like to reply that yesterday there was no international summit, but an invitation to dinner for the round table with European industrialists that is held every year in Germany or in France . I was invited by President Macron, very kindly because he was not required to do so, I said that I could not be there in the presence. We have therefore tried in every way a connection for audio or video but we have not succeeded, it has not been possible, that’s all “. The premier clarifies this by speaking in reply in the Chamber to the Chamber.
Fdi signs the majority resolution
Fratelli d’Italia signed, with the group leader Francesco Lollobrigida, the majority resolution on the communications of the Prime Minister on the situation in Ukraine. It appears from the announcement of the presidency of the Chamber of five documents in all, one of which is signed by the majority group leader as well as by that of Fdi.