Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has proposed that the 27 European Union countries designate an “authority figure” to negotiate on behalf of Europe on the war between Russia and Ukraine. She did not rule out the possibility of giving an official mandate to the E3 group, which includes Germany, France and Britain.
Meloni made the proposal ahead of the EU summit. According to her, if Germany, France and Britain believe that they can achieve better results on their own, they should at least act with a mandate on behalf of all member states.
„If France, Germany and Britain believe that they can achieve better results on their own than all of us together, and so far that is their choice, then at least let them act on behalf of all and with a formal mandate“, said Meloni.Criticism of the Russian diesel deal
The Italian prime minister described the agreement between the United States and Russia on diesel fuel supplies as a “very risky choice“. Last week, the two countries announced that Moscow would initially deliver more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the US and global markets.
“The outcome of this decision is uncertain, while the risks are clear,“ Meloni told the Italian parliament. She said the deal gives Moscow legitimacy as Russian strikes continue in Ukraine, provides new revenue to finance the war and could indirectly weaken the effectiveness of sanctions.
According to Donald Trump, the deal will lead to lower energy prices in the United States. High energy prices are a political issue for the Republican Party ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
Meloni linked her criticism of the agreement to efforts to force Vladimir Putin to start talks with Ukraine. For now, the proposal for a single European representative or for an official E3 mandate is a political position, without a specific name of a negotiator being announced.
Sources: news.bg