Each edition of the “Ambrozetti” in the northern Italian city of Cernobbio, Italy is an occasion for various speakers to express their opinions on diverse topics.
This also happened at this year's edition of the event, where four speakers stood out – two Italian and two foreign. The two Italian speakers were President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni. The two foreign guests were the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban.
The forum opened with a video conference of President Mattarella on September 6, Sky TG 24, ANSA and the Italian publication “Firststone” note. In it, the president said that the annual event in Cernobbio has helped Italy for years to face the realities of an increasingly connected and competitive world, to think in a global dimension, to understand what are the opportunities that are open to it as a country . The forum also provides an opportunity for debates about the urgent changes of our time and represents 50 years of looking at the world, Mattarella also said.
According to him, the participants in the “Ambrosetti“ must take responsibility for finding solutions to the epochal challenges facing the world, starting with the sustainability of development models and the pursuit of goals that affirm the dignity of people and peoples who are no longer instruments of the power ambitions of individual governments and ruling groups, and are engaged in fighting inequalities and promoting peace.
Mattarella also spoke for a long time about the benefits of the EU. On the controversy surrounding the EU and EU membership and whether the EU is a suffocating project or an opportunity for its member countries, Mattarella said critics of the EU often overlook two aspects. First, the EU is the first such exercise characterized by direct participation of peoples in decision-making. Furthermore, decisions at the European level, which are sometimes disputed at the local level, are not the result of regulations imposed by obscure forces, but are agreed in the community between national governments, the European Commission and the European Parliament under transparent procedures.
Europe is unfinished, it is a project under construction, Matrela also said. Once the path of economic union rather than political union is chosen, the "factual solidarity" envisioned by Robert Schumann will dictate - and dictates – the pace in the EU, Mattarella also noted.
The European project affects the whole planet. It is an inclusive project based on the recognition that people, nations and countries are equal in dignity, added the Italian head of state. According to him, the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU in 2012 by the Norwegian Nobel Committee was an eloquent recognition of the bloc's activities, which helped transform the European continent from a continent of war to a continent of peace.
In his speech, Mattarella also praised the single currency. But in addition to the positive aspects of the EU, the Italian president also focused on the need to reflect at the European level on the public debt of the EU member states and on the rules in the EU arising from this debt.
Speaking about changes in the EU, Mataralla emphasized that people should not be afraid of reforms, of looking ahead, of imagining a Europe that is more and more perfect in its architecture and more and more inclusive towards those peoples , such as those in the Western Balkans who have long sought to participate in this adventure.
However, he warned that visions of a future are now re-emerging in society, which is the result of nostalgia for a past, often tragic for people. "Each generation is called to fight ghosts that hope to be forgotten, to rise again with new clothes," warned Mattarella. He said that $freedom, social justice and the pursuit of peace are values destined to prevail over the vices of selfishness, opposition, racism, violence, hatred and war$. “Let us continue on this path with firmness and determination. These values were defended by the European Coal and Steel Community, and then by the EU," Mattarella recalled.
Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán was a speaker in Chernobyl shortly after Mattarella. He was invited to the forum because his country holds the rotating presidency of the EU until the end of the year, according to Reuters, Agence France-Presse, DPA and “RAI News”.
Before the delegates in Chernobyl, Orbán also touched on several topics.
For the EU, he said it needed closer cooperation on markets and defence, but not on political issues such as migration, where large differences between countries make that impossible, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said today. "There are questions, even existential questions, to which we do not have common answers, these are war and peace, migration, gender identity, work-based society, full employment," Orbán said. "If you force us to unite on issues on which we do not agree, you will destroy the EU,", he warned.
Orbán said that Europe will have to cooperate with the world to improve its economic competitiveness, referring to cooperation with both the West and the East, and after the war in Ukraine, with the Russians.
Orbán also warned that migration is increasingly undermining the European structure. Italy and other countries with high levels of migration have a serious problem, Orbán added. "There is a serious problem in Italy and in many other countries", which decided to let many migrants in and now have difficulty coping with coexistence, unlike Hungary, which never let them in,", Orbán stressed.
Regarding the European Commission, Orbán said that the previous EC was a failure in terms of the competitiveness of the European economy, immigration and stopping the war. According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, "today in Brussels they decided to create basically the same Commission." “I will try to support the Commission as much as I can, but as I am a rational person, I think they have ignored the voters' desire for change,” said the Hungarian Prime Minister.
"When I talk about the competitiveness of Europe, I mean first of all the revision of the Green Deal, because now the Green Deal is directed against the business community and against the logic and interests of European companies," Orban added, announcing that has met with all the executives of the leading European car manufacturers. "They told me that" The Green Deal "is against their interests”, he said.
Orbán's words about Ukraine were awaited with the greatest interest. He said his visits to Kiev and Moscow earlier this year, which some EU partners criticized, had led him to conclude that neither side had any intention of making peace or negotiating a ceasefire at this time. From both Kiev and Moscow "there is no will to achieve peace, because both sides are convinced that time will work in their favor", said the Hungarian Prime Minister. "I think a mission for peace is needed," he also emphasized, recalling his recent trips to Moscow and Beijing, which were not authorized by the EU, stressing that "there is a need for dialogue with Ukraine, but also with Russia." ;. "If we wait for a peace plan accepted and acceptable to both sides, there will never be peace, because the first step is not peace, but a ceasefire," he added. “There is a misunderstanding in Western public opinion on this issue, and society believes that a peace plan should be drawn up first, then negotiations should be started and only then should the fire cease,” Orbán said, adding that in his opinion, first place should be the ceasefire, then the dialogue and finally the peace plan. However, the Hungarian leader said that the lines of communication must be open on both sides if Europe wants to end the war in Ukraine, because if there is no communication, there is no chance for peace. Orban also said that it is necessary to hold a meeting between Putin and Zelensky. Speaking of Ukraine, Orban said in Chernobyl that his relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are good.
After taking over the EU presidency, Orbán visited Kiev, then made surprise visits to Moscow and Beijing before attending the NATO summit in Washington. His self-proclaimed "peace mission" caused sharp criticism from some EU leaders, who distinguished the bloc from its actions, the media recall.
In Chernobyl, Orbán praised "Donald Trump's deal-making approach" and expressed hope that Trump will win the US elections.
On relations with Italy, the Prime Minister of Hungary stated that there are no cracks in them. "Georgia Meloni is my Christian sister. We are now approaching a new era in which similar cultures play a much more important role than in the past, he said, also praising the Italian candidate for European Commissioner Raffaele Fito, calling him an "exceptional person". However, Orban recalled that in the new EP he and Meloni took different paths.
However, the Hungarian Prime Minister attacked Hungarian MEP Ilaria Salis. He says it is "surprising" and "strange" that they nominated her, voted for her and that she is now an MEP. "It's Italian style, not Hungarian. This is a crime," he said.
Salis was charged in Hungary with an attack on far-right activists. She maintained her innocence and complained about the harsh conditions in which she was kept in prison. The case strained relations between Budapest and Rome, especially after Sallis was brought to the courtroom in chains several times. She was eventually released under house arrest in the Hungarian capital. At the same time, the Italian party "Green Left Union" appointed her as an MEP and she entered the new EP, which gave her immunity from prosecution.
The visit of the Ukrainian President Zelensky in Chernobyl was also awaited with interest, noted Reuters, ANSA, France Press, Sky News, RAI News, Ukrinform and other media. The Ukrainian leader arrived there on the evening of September 6. In Chernobio, Zelensky spoke to the delegates of the forum, and on the sidelines of the forum he gave an interview to several Italian media. He also held a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
„I have a plan for a ceasefire and I will show it to Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris”. This was stated by Zelensky's president during an interview with six Italian media. He expressed hope that by November he would be able to present his plan to American representatives. "I hope that I will have the opportunity to show this plan to Biden and to the candidates for president of the United States - Harris and Trump, and get feedback and opinions about it,", said the president of Ukraine.
"We have not shared anything at this time. The first contact will be with Biden. In the plan, we talk not only about weapons, but also about important global issues. In short, we are talking about a specific package of defense measures. And if we have it, it will be a strong deterrent for Russia and to end the war under the terms of diplomacy," he added. Zelensky added that he wants to show the plan to the current US president because there are some points in it that depend on America.
In the interview about the operation of the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, Zelensky said that it had achieved results and showed that although some predicted that the Ukrainian forces would be expelled from Russian territory in a few days, the Ukrainian army is still there, in a month.
"With the Kursk operation, we achieved the goal of putting pressure on Putin on the part of the Russian people and reduced the pressure of Russian troops on Kharkiv and other areas, and we also did not allow the occupation of the Sumy region," Zelensky said.
Regarding the changes in the government of Ukraine, he said that they were made to have new energy. The changes are due to the fact that the war continues, and everyone gets tired. "But Ukraine has no chance to win if it is tired and the change of some ministers allows new energy to flow in," he pointed out.
"We have an obligation to defend the country and we cannot get tired, we have to work 24 hours a day. This allowed us to save ourselves at the beginning of the war," Zelensky said.
Yesterday, the Ukrainian president also had a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni. After the meeting, Meloni said that Italy would never stop its support for Ukraine and that the current stalemate in the war shows that the West is responding in the right way to the Russian invasion.
"In my opinion, China and India can play a role in finding a way out of the conflict. The only thing that cannot be done is to think that the conflict can be solved by abandoning Ukraine," Meloni said after the meeting with Zelensky, which lasted 40 minutes.
"The choice to support Ukraine is first and foremost a choice of national interest and a choice that will not change," she added.
After the meeting with Meloni, Zelensky said that one of the key topics he discussed with her was the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war, with a particular emphasis on the restoration of the energy system. “We deeply appreciate Italy's decision to host the next Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine in 2025," Zelensky said.
"I thank Giorgio and the Italian people for their support and joint efforts to restore a just peace," he added.
On Friday, Zelensky spoke to the delegates of the "Ambrosetti" forum. in Chernobio
"In order to want peace, Putin must be weaker, and Ukraine must be stronger," Zelensky told them. To this end, the elaborated victory plan, which will be presented to the President of the United States, will serve. "I will show President Biden, our G7 partners how we see peace and what exactly will put pressure on Putin to stop the war," said the president of Ukraine.
He also stressed that Ukraine and the international community are facing a killer in the person of Putin, so international law should not be forgotten. "First of all, he is a murderer. We, together with our partners, must rely on the UN Charter, on international law, because everyone understands that Putin is a liar and that his word is worthless. That's why it's not just about negotiations, but also about rules that we have to work on," the president noted.
Zelensky again appealed to Ukraine's Western allies to allow it to use the weapons they provided against Russian territory. "We need this opportunity not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on Russian territory, so that Moscow is stimulated to seek peace. They throw four thousand bombs at us every month, Putin will not stop, we must come to a possible negotiating table in a position of strength," added Zelensky. He assured that Kiev's intention is not to use long-range weapons against the civilian population, but to strike Russian military bases at a distance of 100-300 kilometers from where Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory are carried out. "We have no other intentions of using these weapons,", he emphasized.
"We want to end the war, but not to the detriment of our country,", Zelensky also said. "Many people are now talking about a cease-fire, but the Russian president has never kept his past commitments to make the guns fall silent," Zelensky also told the participants of the Chernobyl forum.
He also expressed his belief that after the end of the war, Ukraine should become a full member of the EU and NATO, as well as part of the future security infrastructure of Europe and the rest of the world. "Ukraine is part of the future security infrastructure of the world and especially of Europe, because we are located on this continent. And security in Europe depends on security in the whole world, so Ukraine must be part of this security union, from many points of view - defense, energy, technology, food", Zelensky stressed.
Regarding Zelensky's main call for the use of long-range Western weapons against targets in Russia, Europe remains divided on the issue, notes AFP. And if in Brussels the EU High Representative Joseph Borrell recently reiterated that the restrictions should be lifted, the stumbling block remains Italy, which, together with Hungary, continues to oppose it, RAI News points out. There is also restraint on the part of Germany and the US, which believe that this would lead to a greater escalation with Moscow, which keeps repeating that it has nuclear weapons, notes France Presse. The use of US weapons provided to Kiev to carry out long-range strikes in Russia will not significantly change the situation in Ukraine, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on September 6, as quoted by Reuters. In this way, he subtly opposed Kiev's desire to remove restrictions on the use of these weapons, the agency noted. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of Ukraine's allies at the US air base in the western German city of Ramstein, Austin stressed that it is not the specific weapon that will change the situation on the battlefield. He also reported that Russia had moved its planning bombs beyond the range of the ATAKMS missiles. Austin added that Ukraine itself has significant capabilities to attack targets far beyond the range of Britain's Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
Although Zelenskiy's appeal was again unsupported in both Ramstein and Chornobio, before coming to Italy, while attending a meeting of defense ministers of Ukraine's allies, Zelenskiy nevertheless received promises of additional aid to Ukraine. The US Secretary of Defense announced another package of 250 million dollars for Ukraine, and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius provided 12 more howitzers "Pantzer 2000" worth 150 million euros, according to France Press. Already on Wednesday, Berlin confirmed new deliveries of air defense systems “IRIS-T“. A further 650 short-range multi-purpose missiles will arrive from London, as part of a commitment by Keir Starmer's new government. The delivery is worth 162 million British pounds, adds France Press. Another anti-aircraft battery will send Madrid. Canada has also promised new aid, and another 40 million euros will come from the EU to deal with the winter and rebuild Ukraine's infrastructure, especially the energy sector, which was badly hit by the Russian strikes.
The fourth speaker from Cernobbio, awaited with particular attention, was Giorgia Meloni. At the forum after the meeting with Zelensky, she had the opportunity to speak on various issues.
"If the rules of international law fail, we will have a multiplication of crises and chaos," Meloni said regarding Ukraine. “Zelensky and I discussed how to continue working to achieve a just peace. I have never changed my opinion on Ukraine and the international community recognizes that Italy has a serious attitude on the matter. I think we should not give up and we should not leave Ukraine to its own devices, because that will bring chaos, not peace. And I don't think at all that the fate of the war in Ukraine is decided," she stressed.
"In my opinion, China and India can play a role in finding a way out of the conflict. The only thing that cannot be done is to think that the conflict can be solved by abandoning Ukraine," she added.
"The choice to support Ukraine is first and foremost a choice of national interest and a choice that will not change,", Meloni stressed.
And a statement from her office said she had re-emphasized to Zelensky the centrality of support for Ukraine in the agenda of the Italian G7 presidency and the continued commitment to the legitimate defense of Ukraine and to achieving a just and lasting peace. The statement added that Meloni and Zelensky paid special attention to the issue of the reconstruction of Ukraine with a view to the next Conference on this topic, which will be held in Italy in 2025. The two leaders also discussed the latest developments of the situation on the battlefield and Ukraine's most urgent needs on the eve of winter and in the face of ongoing Russian attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure.
But Meloni, like Orbán and Mattarella, touched on other topics that moved her.
Regarding the future European Commission, she said she had no reason to believe that Italy would not be given what it deserved because of the power Italy has in the union. "Some say that von der Leyen will count on the fact that Italy's ruling party did not vote for her. Some say that if I were von der Leyen, I would be very angry in such a situation. “Italian Brothers” didn't vote for von der Leyen, but I worked well with her these two years and I have no reason to believe that things will be different in the future,'' Meloni said.
According to the media, the Italian candidate for European Commissioner, who is from Meloni's party – Raffaele Fito, will receive the position of vice president of the EC with the department of economy. He is now in charge of Italy's post-pandemic economic development plan. With the economics department at the European level, he will be responsible for the entire EU fund for post-pandemic development.
In Cernobbio, Meloni also emphasized that there will be no bonuses and throwing money out the window in the next Italian budget.
And regarding the scandal with the resigned Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano Meloni, said that this will not weaken her government and that she will see her mandate through to the end.
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Source: www.bta.bg