Overview
- Meloni said the time has come for Europe to speak with Russia, aligning with Emmanuel Macron’s recent call for engagement.
- She called readmitting Russia to the G7 “absolutely premature.”
- She urged the European Union to appoint a single envoy to engage Vladimir Putin to prevent disorganized outreach.
- She reaffirmed that Italy will not send troops to Ukraine to underpin any peace deal, even as France and the U.K. signed a declaration of intent on multinational forces once a ceasefire is reached.
- Reuters reports that talks have accelerated since November, but Moscow has not publicly signaled willingness to make concessions or accept security guarantees that include Western troops in Ukraine.