There is no alternative to military support for Ukraine. It was “the correct choice, the only one consistent with the UN charter”. The facts show that it is working. What’s more: Putin’s referendum for independence in the Donbass “is a further violation of international law that we strongly condemn”.
UN, Mario Draghi’s speech: “Our goal is a peace deemed acceptable by Ukraine”
Mario Draghi’s speech at the UN headquarters does not shift the Italian line against Moscow by one millimeter. The premier, at the end of a day of silence with journalists, confirms the line taken up to now in the text he reads in front of leaders from all over the world. On the contrary. If possible, accentuate the tone, effectively making a commitment to the future government. “The responsibilities of the conflict are clear and of only one party” and “in the next few years Italy will continue to be the protagonist of European life, close to NATO allies, determined to contribute to international peace and security”. If it is then possible to reach a peace agreement, “Italy remains at the forefront”.
When Draghi takes the floor in Italy it is now night. There are no nuances, no concessions to Vladmir Putin. There is no ordinary administration that holds, or concessions to the distinctions of Lega, Cinque Stelle or to the double register of Giorgia Meloni on community issues. It is clear from the firm tones that the speech is agreed with the Head of State, the one who asked him to play the role of government leader until the last day necessary, despite the disintegration of the majority of broad agreements and the elections.
«Moscow’s plan was to conquer Kiev in a few weeks. Ukrainian soldiers thwarted this strategy and forced Russia into a longer and more exhausting conflict, thanks also to our military assistance. In recent weeks, a heroic counter-offensive has allowed Ukraine to recover thousands of square kilometers of territory from Kharkiv, and forced the Russian army to retreat. The outcome of the conflict is still unpredictable, but Kiev seems to have acquired an important strategic advantage ». The sanctions against Moscow then “have had a disruptive effect on the Russian war machine and its economy”. Not only that: “Moscow struggles to manufacture the armaments it needs by itself, as it finds it difficult to acquire the material necessary to produce them.”
Draghi – as had happened the night before on the occasion of the delivery of the “man of the year” award – insists that Vladimir Putin be forced to return to respect for the principles that allowed Stalin’s Russia to adhere to the UN charter in 1945. Afterwards the agreement on Ukrainian wheat to avert a food crisis in the global South, “the hope is that other moments of cooperation can be reached starting from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”. It is essential to arrive at “some form of demilitarization of the area”, because “we cannot risk nuclear catastrophe”. The West “must maintain its identity, but conduct international relations in a responsible, legal, peaceful way. This principle must apply to all the crises we face: from Ukraine, to the recent clashes in the Caucasus, to situations of instability in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America ”.
What is striking about Draghi’s speech at the UN is the long series of commitments he makes for the future. On how to deal with the economic crisis, the climate crisis, manage international conflicts. He confirms the Italian candidacy for the organization of Expo 2030. He asks to do more “especially at the European level”, to address the economic consequences of the Russian gas cut and inflation. He insists on a ceiling on the price of methane imports from Moscow, “also to further reduce the funding we send to Russia”. As had happened a few hours earlier during the meeting with a group of students of the “Youth4Climate” movement, the premier urges us to speed up compliance with the commitments to combat global warming. He proposes to continue to finance the poorest countries “from the impacts of climate change and to pursue their transition paths”. He cites Pakistan, “where a large part of the country is submerged by water and millions of people are forced to leave their homes.” Shortly before entering the Glass Building, Draghi, while meeting the students, joked that “now I will have free time”. It remains to be seen whether this will be the case even after Sunday’s elections.
Twitter @alexbarbera