RT.com
26 Jan 2023, 02:48 GMT+10
The bloc lacks a real foreign or defense policy, Antonio Tajani believes
The European Union needs strong leaders, akin to former German chancellor Angela Merkel, to have its voice heard on the global stage, Italy's foreign minister told La Stampa newspaper on Wednesday.
"There are too many jealousies, too many leaders," Antonio Tajani said, arguing that the bloc has ended up serving the US instead of pursuing its own interests, and that "even Germany, the strongest [member] country, fails to impose itself. A Merkel is missing."
During the interview, he was asked if he thought the EU was "too weak," to which he replied by explaining that "Europe [sic] does not have a real foreign or defense policy... We always come after the Americans," adding that this has been the case since 1954 [when the European Defence Community collapsed].
He went on to insist that the EU do everything within its power to prevent the Russia-Ukraine conflict from escalating. "Neither NATO nor Europe, which have a duty to help Ukraine, are at war with Russia," Tajani stated, expressing his hope that, what he called, the "aggressive statements" coming from the Kremlin are simply "propaganda" and that there is no real desire to raise the tone of the confrontation.
The minister argued that while it is important to keep sending weapons to Ukraine, it is also vital to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which has been raging since last February, or at least establish a truce. Tajani described himself as "not optimistic about the near future" while believing "it is not worth giving up," adding that he has asked Türkiye to do all it can to arrange negotiations between Moscow and Kiev.
READ MORE: Berlusconi names 'only person with peaceful solution to Ukraine conflict'
While Russia has repeatedly insisted that it is open to negotiations with Kiev, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has signed a law that legally prohibits Kiev from any negotiations with Moscow as long as Vladimir Putin remains in power.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of China National News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to China National News.
More InformationNEW YORK CITY, New York: Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high this week, buoyed by growing institutional interest and a wave of pro-crypto...
SHENZHEN, China: As global chip competition intensifies, Huawei Technologies is exploring new markets in the Middle East and Southeast...
LONDON/NEW YORK CITY: American grocery bills may be headed higher as coffee and orange juice prices face upward pressure from new tariffs...
BATTLE CREEK, Michigan: In a major consolidation of iconic food brands, WK Kellogg has agreed to be acquired by the owner of Ferrero...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Filmmaker Peter Jackson's lifelong fascination with the extinct giant New Zealand flightless bird called the moa...
NEW DELHI, India: India has submitted a revised proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva to implement retaliatory tariffs...
BRISBANE, Queensland, Australia - Two French girls barely out of high school remain behind bars after their arrival into Australia's...
Forget dtente, Moscow must fight to the end Many now speak of humanity's drift towards World War III, imagining events similar to...
New Delhi [India], July 15 (ANI): The bullet train project has achieved a major milestone of opening the first section of the 21 km...
Beijing [China], July 15 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held detailed talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in...
Lithuanian organizers have banned athletes from Russia and Belarus from representing their countries Organizers of the Vilnius Marathon...
(Photo credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images) England's Paul Waring announced Monday he will not participate in The Open Championship this...