Brussels, December 19 (LaPresse) – "I think it is still too early to talk about peacekeeping operations; it’s merely a theoretical exercise. There is still an ongoing war, and we need to achieve a ceasefire first. We must work step by step; otherwise, we end up discussing theoretical scenarios without focusing on the main goal, which is to end this war. For now, let’s aim for a ceasefire and peace. The peacekeeping process is a hypothetical scenario; we will see what happens," said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during a press briefing on the sidelines of the EPP pre-summit in Brussels.
"Now we are working to achieve a ceasefire and to secure a peace that does not represent a defeat for Ukraine—that is obvious. Ukraine is the country under attack, and Russia is the aggressor. Therefore, we are committed to always defending the independence of this country. First, we need to achieve this, and then we will decide on the next steps," he added.
When asked if Italy has the capacity to send troops in significant numbers, Tajani responded: "Italy is currently a country with many personnel already deployed. After the United States, we are the most involved nation in NATO operations. We are engaged in peacekeeping in Lebanon, where our military has contributed to things being less dire than they could have been. Now, I think it is necessary to also review the rules of engagement. As for the rest, we’ll see," he concluded.
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