- Published
Italy's defence minister has said it is a "complete mistake, a major mistake" for the US to limit access to satellite systems and intelligence used by Ukraine to defend itself against Russian attacks.
asserted
US → publish → attacks
In a BBC interview, Guido Crosetto warned that any such move by US President Donald Trump's administration "makes absolutely no sense" and risked prolonging Russia's full-scale invasion rather than helping to bring peace.
asserted
move → warn → peace
US officials have said Trump has not asked for the slowdown of internet speeds the US provides to Ukraine and which are vital for its war effort.
asserted
which → say → effort
Trump has also denied that the US has stopped sharing early-warning alerts of incoming Russian aerial attacks with Ukraine.
asserted
US → deny → Ukraine
Crosetto's comments continue Italy's sharpening criticism of the US.
asserted
comments → continue → US
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Trump's deal to buy diesel from Russia a "very risky choice", and said it would "grant Russia legitimacy" as it bombed cities in Ukraine.
asserted
it → call → Ukraine
Trump agreed the deal with Vladimir Putin, blaming Kyiv's own attacks on Russian refineries for rising fuel prices.
asserted
Trump → agree → prices
Meloni, once considered so close to the US president she was dubbed a "Trump whisperer", said the move ran counter to efforts to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
asserted
move → consider → table
"Peace will come when Putin is convinced there is a stalemate, that he cannot advance any further," her defence minister told the BBC at his ministry building in Rome.
asserted
minister → come → Rome
Crosetto was a co-founder of Meloni's hard-right Fratelli d'Italia party, which has led a right-wing government coalition since 2022, shortly after the start of Russia's full-scale war.
asserted
which → lead → war
"If [Putin] sees weakness on the Ukrainian side – and if the US deprives Ukraine of resources, that creates weakness – then he will believe he can win.
asserted
he → see → weakness
So he will continue the war," Crosetto warned.
asserted
Crosetto → continue → war
"I think that is completely wrong."
asserted
that → think → ?
Despite widespread public scepticism, Meloni's Italian government has been a strong ally of Ukraine from the start, sending both military and humanitarian aid.
The specifics of those deliveries have always been classified.
asserted
specifics → send → deliveries
In our interview, the defence minister vowed that Italian military support would continue "for as long as this government is in place", though he warned that getting parliament to approve further deliveries would be "more difficult" as elections approached.
asserted
elections → vow → deliveries
The vote has to take place by the end of 2027 and opinion polls currently put a new far-right party, Futuro Nazionale, ahead of all Meloni's coalition partners.
asserted
polls → have → partners
That party's leader, former general Roberto Vannacci, is openly sympathetic to Russia and opposes aiding Ukraine, arguing that Europe is wasting its money as Russia's military "continues to advance" on the ground.
asserted
military → oppose → ground
At a recent event in Tuscany, he described himself as "neither pro-Putin nor pro-Russian" but "pro-Italian".
asserted
he → describe → himself
Crosetto brushed off questions about Vannacci, including on whether his views reflected those of many Italians, saying he had more "serious matters to deal with".
asserted
he → brush → matters
But, perhaps to underline the difference, he was unequivocal on Russia.
asserted
he → underline → Russia
"When one state crosses another state's border with tanks, when it bombs hospitals and schools, kills civilians and bombs power plants, and has been doing so for four years, I can only describe that as evil," he said.
asserted
he → cross → evil
But Italians, like many Europeans, are seeing prices go up, driven by the high cost of energy.
asserted
prices → see → energy
During street protests in Rome on Friday, where firecrackers were thrown, secondary school students complained that resources were being diverted to arms, instead of education.
asserted
resources → throw → education
Some chanted: "We want more classroom, not more bombs."
asserted
We → chant → classroom
In southern Italy, truckers have begun blocking roads complaining at the hike in fuel prices.
asserted
truckers → begin → prices
Polls here regularly show that a majority of Italians want an end to military aid for Ukraine.
asserted
majority → show → Ukraine
One, conducted for the Ixè institute in September, put support for continuing to supply arms at just 18%.
asserted
One → conduct → %
Unlike Poland or the Baltic states, Italy feels physically distant from the danger, too.
asserted
Italy → feel → danger
But the defence minister also blamed an active campaign of disinformation by Moscow – targeting, he said, "certain political figures... and narratives to weaken the political climate against Russia".
asserted
he → blame → Russia
"In some way they shift public opinion," the minister argued.
asserted
minister → shift → opinion
"It's very hard to explain to a citizen who's having trouble at the petrol pump that we can't give any concessions to Russia right now.
asserted
we → explain → Russia
But that's the only way to defend the future of that very citizen who's complaining."
asserted
who → defend → citizen
Italy has not been targeted for major acts of sabotage, unlike other allies of Ukraine in Europe.
asserted
Italy → target → Europe
The minister said a fire at an arms depot outside Rome in August was not arson, but "human stupidity".
asserted
fire → say → August
A report last month that Russia was planning to launch drone attacks at Italy, France and Spain from the container ships in the Mediterranean was not proven, Crosetto also told us.
asserted
Crosetto → plan → us
But cyber-attacks, which he linked to Russia, were now routine - "there are hundreds every day" - and he believed Europe had been too weak in its response.
asserted
Europe → link → response
"You can't win a war... if you don't fight back," the minister said.
With additional reporting from Rome by Davide Ghiglione.
asserted
minister → win → Ghiglione
The Aporia
