Italy Warns: New Sanctions Needed to Force Putin to the Negotiating Table

Italy calls for new sanctions against Russia to increase pressure on President Putin and promote the start of peace talks on the conflict in Ukraine.

The Gaze reports on it, referring to Reuters.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told the Senate that all available instruments must be used to force Russia to negotiate, including a new package of sanctions that would restrict funding for Moscow's military machine. 

According to him, Italy is actively working in Brussels to adopt the 19th package of EU sanctions.

“We are working in Brussels to reach a 19th package of sanctions as soon as possible, which will have a substantial impact on financial flows,” Tajani said.

He also stressed that the European Union is considering accelerating its transition away from Russian fossil fuels. This year, the EU is expected to purchase around 13% of its gas from Russia, while negotiations are underway to end imports of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028.

Notably, tensions between Russia and the West have escalated after Poland reported shooting down suspected Russian drones with NATO support. 

In the context of EU security, Antonio Tajani proposed extending NATO's mutual defense program to Ukraine without granting full membership, which would allow Kyiv to receive support from its partners in the event of a renewed Russian attack.

"The starting point is the definition of a collective security clause that would allow Ukraine to benefit from the support of all its partners, including the United States, in the event that it is attacked again," he stated.

As The Gaze reported earlier, Italian Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighters have carried out their first-ever interception over the Baltic Sea under NATO’s Air Policing mission, confronting Russian aircraft flying close to Alliance airspace.