The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference after the controversy over Berlusconi’s words on Zelensky: “We discussed it. There was a difference of views but I think the clarification was useful. However, it was wrong to cancel the summit of the popular in Naples”. And then he reiterates the party’s position on the war in Ukraine: “Berlusconi and Forza Italia are the same thing. Forza Italia has always been with NATO and for supporting Ukraine”
“There will be no break between Forza Italia and the Ppe”. The controversy was extinguished by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, on the sidelines of the Munich Conference on Security. The head of the Farnesina said he had spoken with the president of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, to whom he reiterated that the position of Forza Italia – which “has always voted both in the European Parliament and in the Italian Parliament in support of Ukraine and also in favor of sending military aid” – continues to be the same as always: “Our goal is to achieve peace”. What created tension between Forza Italia and the EPP were Berlusconi’s words about the Ukrainian president Zelensky: “It was enough for him to stop attacking the two autonomous republics of Donbass and this would not have happened. So I judge this gentleman’s behavior very, very negatively”. The Cav had also hypothesized a sort of Marshall Plan to help Kiev, but with one condition for Zelensky: “That you order a ceasefire tomorrow also because starting tomorrow we will no longer give you dollars and we will no longer give you weapons” (WAR IN UKRAINE, LIVE UPDATES).
“A mistake to cancel the summit in Naples”
After Berlusconi’s statements, the EPP had immediately canceled a summit that should have been held in Naples. For Tajani “it was wrong to cancel that meeting”. The hope is that now “another one can be organized in Rome”. The deputy prime minister, acknowledging that “there was a diversity of views” on the issue, said he believed “that the clarification was useful” and that he hoped ” that the incident is closed”. However, he was keen to clarify that “explaining our position does not mean arguing”.
“Berlusconi and Fi are the same thing and are with Ukraine”
Tajani then went on to defend the leader of his party: “Berlusconi and Forza Italia are the same thing. Forza Italia has always been with NATO and for supporting Ukraine”. Responding to a question on what was said by the president of the Defense commission of the Bundestag Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who defined Berlusconi’s Russian narrative as “dangerous”, the deputy prime minister he clarified that the Cav “has never embraced Russian rhetoric”. On the contrary, “he has always said that we need to work for peace. It being understood that we are on Ukraine’s side”, concluded Tajani.
Source-tg24.sky.it