Giorgia Meloni’s speech on Ukraine, criticizing Trump’s pact with Putin

A few days ago, Donald Trump announced a deal with the dictator Vladimir Putin to purchase large quantities of Russian diesel.

An immoral reward from Trump to Putin for massacring civilians in Ukraine
Giorgia Meloni's response to Trump's lack of respect towards his allies

That pact, which is a stab in the back to the Ukrainian people, has drawn widespread criticism in both the United States and Europe. Such criticism is well-founded, as once again Trump sides with the invader against the nation under attack—betraying not only the West but also the very ideals of defending liberty that are among the foundational principles of the United States.

Yesterday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the pact during a speech before the Italian Senate. As she has done since assuming her current office on October 22, 2022, Meloni clearly reaffirmed her support for the Ukrainian cause, denounced the Kremlin's strategy of terror against the Ukrainian people, warned of the "return of Soviet-style imperialism that Europe endured for half a century," and noted that the pact between Trump and Putin is "a decision I consider extremely risky."

Meloni stated that "rising fuel prices are primarily due to the war in Iran, not the conflict in Ukraine. Therefore, the outcome of this decision is uncertain, while the risks are clear. Legitimizing Moscow while its bombs continue to fall on Ukrainian cities, new revenue to fund the war, an implicit weakening of the impact of sanctions—these are elements we cannot ignore and that contradict the actions Western states, including the United States, have taken so far to pressure Putin to the negotiating table."

You can read Meloni's full speech (in Italian) here. You can watch the full video of her speech here, published by Palazzo Chigi. The section on Ukraine begins at the 10:55 mark; the video is embedded to start playing at that point (it is in Italian, but you can enable automatic English subtitles in the player):

Given its interest, I provide below an English translation of her remarks regarding Ukraine:

"Naturally, we return to the subject of Ukraine. In the meantime, Russia has launched a new autumn campaign against Ukraine. Unable to make progress on the front lines, Moscow has begun increasingly severe attacks against the civilian population: power plants, apartment buildings, hospitals—even buses carrying people to work, as seen in the horrific massacre in Kramatorsk.

It is a strategy through which Russia seeks to subjugate the Ukrainian people using terror, cold, and darkness, simply because it has failed to achieve success on the battlefield. Furthermore, the facts refute the Kremlin’s propaganda—as well as the propaganda spread by those here in Italy who echo it. Since the beginning of the year, Moscow has gained very little ground, and in September alone, it lost much of what it had managed to seize in previous months.

This stalemate did not emerge out of nowhere. It was brought about by the courage of the Ukrainian people and the support of the West, including Italy. And I remain convinced that this stalemate is the only effective tool we have to bring Russia to a serious negotiating table.

I am aware that there is a heated debate on this issue—both within this Chamber and across the various political factions. I respect and even understand this, because no one in this Chamber wants war. We all desire peace. The difference lies in how we believe that peace can be achieved.

In my opinion, support for Ukraine is not an alternative to peace; it is what makes peace possible. For if an aggressor can simply demand the surrender of their adversary, what need is there to negotiate? But surrender is not peace—it is conquest. If Ukraine were to stop defending itself tomorrow—as many expect or propose—we would not have peace. Instead, we would be witnessing the occupation of a European nation and the return of the Soviet-style imperialism that Europe endured for half a century.

Personally, I do not miss those years—I do not miss the Russian tanks that crushed uprisings in Prague and Budapest, nor do I miss the Berlin Wall. And no one will ever convince me that the surrender of those defending their own freedom can be called "peace." The peace we yearn for—and are working to build, even at the cost of consensus—is a just peace; for only a just peace can endure, and only a just peace can safeguard Europe and our own interests.

Therefore, the Government’s position remains unchanged.

Support for Kyiv—with a special focus on the civilian population—continued pressure on Moscow, and Euro-Atlantic unity remain the pillars of our approach.

In this context, we must also consider the agreement regarding Russian diesel announced last Friday by US President Donald Trump. It is a decision I consider extremely risky.

Clearly, we all understand and share the need to curb energy prices, which affect families and businesses, including in Italy. However, we must bear in mind that the rise in fuel prices is primarily due to the war in Iran, not the conflict in Ukraine. Therefore, the outcome of this decision is uncertain, while the risks are clear. Legitimizing Moscow while its bombs continue to fall on Ukrainian cities, generating new revenue to fund the war, and implicitly weakening the impact of sanctions—these are factors we cannot ignore; they contradict the actions Western states—including the United States—have taken so far to pressure Putin to the negotiating table.

A truce between the parties regarding power plants—which Italy clearly supports—is a different matter. We thank President Zelensky for immediately declaring Ukraine's full readiness to do so. We now hope that Russia will do the same and halt its attacks on Ukrainian power plants.

Beyond that, at such a complex time with so many variables beyond our control, there is at least one thing that depends on us: ensuring that Europe does not stand idly by. For the terms of a peace affecting our continent—and thus our security—cannot be written without our participation."

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Image: Palazzo Chigi.