Italian Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the “Lega“ party Matteo Salvini said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be wise to sign a peace agreement as soon as possible, TASS reported.
“After all the money, effort and help he has received, Zelensky is still complaining. My friend, you are losing the war, you are losing people, you are losing trust and dignity. Sign a peace agreement as soon as possible“, Salvini said in an address to his party colleagues. His words were shared via video on social media.
The statement comes after Zelensky's speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, in which the Ukrainian president criticized the European Union, accusing it of a lack of political determination. His comments provoked a sharp reaction in Italy, with Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani describing them as "ungrateful" towards the EU.
Salvini has long insisted on ending military aid to Kiev. However, his party supported a decree in parliament to extend aid to Ukraine until the end of the year, arguing that it should be directed primarily at civilian purposes.
The leader of the “League“ has already sharply criticized the Ukrainian authorities, including after corruption scandals, which he believes are an additional argument for stopping support. However, Antonio Tajani has repeatedly emphasized that Italy's foreign policy is determined by the government and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.