Meloni vehemently confirms there will be no Italian soldiers deployed to Ukraine, except for demining if peace is achieved

 ROME – The official stance of the Italian government is that while Italy is more than ready to help demine Ukranian soil, Italian soldiers will not be sent to join the fighting, writes Il Messaggero. This is the starting point of the message that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivered Thursday late morning, during the meeting at Palazzo Chigi.

 Also present at the meeting were Deputy Prime Ministers, Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini, defence Minister Guido Crosetto, and Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti.

 The key idea of the summit is “greater coordination”, as Meloni has not appreciated recent premature statements and headlines in the press speculating about how many Italian troops might be sent to the world’s most heavily mined country to defuse explosives.

 For the Prime Minister, it is too early to discuss such matters, especially while drones and bombs are still raining down over Kyiv and its surroundings, saying “you don’t clear mines while the shooting continues,” she reportedly told those asking for clarification about a potential Italian role, which would draw on its past demining experience.

 Regarding Italy’s contribution to security guarantees leading to peace, the “NATO-style Article 5” remains the guiding principle, according to sources close to Meloni. They noted that this was the only point the Prime Minister emphasized in her recent speech at the Rimini Meeting, asserting her ownership of the idea.

 As for everything else, the situation is still in the preparatory phase. And if the time comes to raise the white flag, “Italy will do its part, as it always has.”

 However, in terms of demining, the only viable path – if and when conditions permit – appears to be naval demining, handled by the Navy, ruling out more sensitive ground operations.
“And it remains to be seen and decided which waters we would even operate in,” say sources closely following the issue, implying that any commitment would likely be limited to the international waters bordering Ukraine.

 This cautious stance, driven by public fatigue with the war and fears of electoral backlash, is expected to be reflected in a statement released after the meeting.

rs