MUNICH. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, opened the meeting of G7 colleagues in Munich by asking his colleagues for a minute of silence to honor Alexei Navalny «for his ideas and for his battle for freedom and against corruption in Russia. Navalny was effectively led to his death. Russia must clarify his death and stop the unacceptable repression of political dissent.”
Strategic support for Ukraine and loans
As part of his participation in the Munich Security Conference, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister today signed some agreements with which our country will support the Ukrainian energy sector. «Italy has been at Ukraine’s side since the beginning of the Russian aggression and today we confirm our willingness to help our Ukrainian friends also in the strategic sector of energy infrastructure. A support that we will also bring with the Italian Presidency of the G7, which will continue to keep attention high on Ukraine, and with the Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine that Italy will host in 2025″, said Tajani.
Among the other agreements signed by the deputy prime minister, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, and the president of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso, there is one that defines the terms of a subsidized loan of 100 million euros from the Fund’s resources Rotary Program for Development Cooperation, managed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (Cdp). With these funds, Italy will provide support to Ukrhydroenergo, the main Ukrainian hydroelectric company. The Italian credit will be an integral part of a program worth a total of 200 million euros – the other 100 million euros will be provided directly by the EBRD – in favor of the Ukrainian state company.
The framework agreement on African countries
Tajani, with EBRD President Renaud-Basso, has established a framework agreement for possible new initiatives in areas of common interest, including African countries, where the EBRD will expand its operations. The latter could serve as a model for possible similar partnerships with other international financial institutions, in line with the spirit of the Mattei Plan.
The proposal of an EU Defense Commissioner
Regarding the proposal by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to establish a Defense Commissioner in the EU, Tajani defined himself as “absolutely in favor”. «Without an EU defense – she added – we cannot be protagonists in the Atlantic Alliance on an equal basis and there cannot be an effective European defense policy».
The Israel-Hamas conflict
On the front of the war in the Middle East, the Italian Minister spoke on behalf of everyone on how the G7 “aims to guarantee the security of the state of Israel”. «We ask for the immediate release of the hostages, we work on a de-escalation and we ask for a suspension of the fighting both to guarantee the release of the hostages and to get aid to civilians who are victims of Hamas» he declared. “We support the work of the Palestinian National Authority and ask for a reform of the authority so that it can be a protagonist in Gaza and the West Bank after the end of the conflict”, added Tajani
Russia and space-based nuclear weapons
In a document at the conclusion of the informal meeting, the Minister explained to reporters that together with the representatives of other countries he «also expressed a clear message not to exceed certain limits in space, after having received news of possible space nuclear initiatives by Russia ».
Sending weapons to Kiev
On weapons for Ukraine «let’s do what we can do, Parliament has approved the eighth aid package and I believe that this package will be in Ukraine in these days» said Tajani in the press conference. «Let’s do what we have to do as Italy to support Ukraine.”
Relations with NATO and the vote in the United States
«The lodestars of our relations are Europe and NATO – underlined the deputy prime minister. We are allies of the USA, we must not interfere in the electoral campaign” and regarding the president of the United States, “we do not make personal choices, we make strategic choices”.