Italy will need the United States as a responsible member of the EU to achieve unity on the Ukrainian question in the European Union. This was said by a future U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson in conversation with the journalist of La Stampa Paolo Mastrolilli, reports Inopressa.
As the journalist notes, “the first thing I wonder in this sentence is a mention of the EU as a privileged interlocutor, despite the support that the new US President Donald trump expressed Brexit. “The second interesting thing is a reference to the unity on the Ukrainian question, because so far the US has put pressure on the allies, so that they were United on the issue of maintaining the anti-Russian sanctions until Russia fully implements the Minsk agreement.” This means, the author concludes that “Washington is not so willing to make concessions if at first, Moscow will not make steps towards reconciliation”.
“This feeling finds probably accidental confirmation of the rumors that Tillerson chose as his Deputy the Floor Dobriansky,” the policy of Ukrainian origin, who was the under Secretary for democracy and global Affairs under Bush, the journalist writes.
The third point, which Tillerson asks for help from Rome, is “the dialogue with Putin,” including in view of the summit “the Big seven” in may in Taormina. “Italy has already established contact with the new administration” through its Ambassador in the U.S. Armando Varricchio, and “it is planned” meeting trump and the Prime Minister of Italy Paolo Gentiloni.
Earlier the Minister of foreign Affairs of Italy Angelino Alfano said that he hoped for the restoration of the format “Big eight” with participation of Russia.
He also hoped that the new US administration to improve relations with Moscow that will make possible her return to the G8. At the same time, the Prime Minister stressed that it was premature return of Russia in this format without evidence of compliance with the Minsk agreements on Ukraine.
