Meloni calls on Europe to establish dialogue with Russia on peace

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that Europe should establish a dialogue with Russia regarding Ukraine, echoing recent comments by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Bloomberg reports this, according to Ukrinform.

“I think Macron is right, the time has come for Europe to speak to Russia,” she told journalists on Friday during her annual press conference.

Meloni warned that if such efforts are done “piecemeal in a disorderly fashion,” they would have only a “limited” effect and would work in favor of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Europe is increasingly bearing the burden of financial support for Ukraine following Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency last year, the publication notes. In particular, Italy has sent at least €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion) in bilateral assistance to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including air defense systems.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, last month French President Emmanuel Macron said that, in the longer term, it would be appropriate to engage in direct dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that Europeans and Ukrainians must be directly involved in such contacts to avoid behind-the-scenes peace talks without their participation.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine