Italian Deputy Prime Minister: Does not see any sense in sanctions against Russia
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said in an interview with RT that he does not see any sense in sanctions against Russia.
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| Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. Photo: Sputnik |
"I have always told the government about the damage, and I will continue to do so, because the sanctions against Russia do not make economic, political, social and cultural sense," the Italian Deputy Prime Minister said, stressing that the European Parliament elections, which will be held at the end of May 2019, are a historic opportunity to change the balance of forces in Europe, thereby changing relations with Russia.
Mr Salvini has been a frequent critic of sanctions against Russia. In July, he said Italy would be one of the first countries to lobby for the EU’s sanctions against Russia to be lifted, announcing a series of events in that direction before the end of the year.
Earlier, the Italian Deputy Prime Minister announced his readiness to discuss the status of Crimea and said that Rome would veto the extension of sanctions related to the peninsula's annexation to Russia.
He also noted that Russia is an important partner of Italy in the fields of trade and energy, so the two sides need to cooperate based on the principle of good neighborliness.