‘More a propaganda gesture’: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Putin’s ceasefire offer for Ukraine

NEW DELHI: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ceasefire offer to Ukraine as “propaganda” at the end of the Group of Seven (G7) summit.

Putin’s proposal suggested an immediate ceasefire and negotiations if kyiv withdraws its troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and abandons its plan to join NATO.

Addressing Putin’s ceasefire proposal, Meloni commented: “It seems to me more of a propaganda move than a real propaganda move. If President Putin’s proposal is: we are willing to conduct peace negotiations if Ukraine recognizes the invasion of Ukraine and renounces the invasion of Ukraine. the occupied parts…do not seem to me a particularly effective proposition,” Meloni remarked.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, invited to the G7, rejected what he described as an ultimatum from Putin asking him to cede more territory.

The summit concluded with the finalization of a deal for a $50 billion loan to Ukraine, financed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and potentially Japan. Meloni stressed that frozen Russian assets in Europe would serve as collateral, demonstrating Europe’s role in the deal.

The loan agreement was reached at the start of the annual two-day G7 meeting, which brings together the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States -United. The gathering took place in Puglia, a region in southern Italy.

The peace conference for Ukraine hosted by Switzerland on Saturday was met with skepticism due to Russia’s absence, affecting its potential for progress.

Israel falls into a trap (Meloni)

At a press conference, Meloni was asked about the Israel-Hamas conflict and the G7’s position on Israel’s actions in Gaza resulting in civilian deaths.

“I think we have to remember who started all of this and it was not Israel, but someone who killed civilians, women and children,” Meloni said, referring to the attack on 7 October by Hamas in southern Israel, which left around 1,200 dead and sparked war. Palestinian health officials reported that Israel’s bombings and ground attacks in Gaza killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, without specifying the number of civilians versus fighters.

“Now we must work for peace, which means dialogue, recognizing Israel’s right to security, to live in peace, and the right of Palestinians to have their own state in which to live in peace,” he said. she declared. “This is the only way to solve this problem, our job is to engage with everyone.”

Meloni also raised concerns about Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks, suggesting that Israel could be falling into a trap set by Hamas. “It looks like Israel is falling into a trap. Because Hamas’ trap was to isolate it. It seems like it’s working,” Meloni said. She reiterated that Israel’s allies “must speak clear words to Israel, for its security… and that is exactly what Italy is doing.”

Meloni said he was satisfied that the G7 had finally addressed the issues of migratory flows and the fight against human traffickers. “We must guarantee everyone the right not to emigrate and leave their homes,” she said.

Known for her strong stance on migration, Meloni proposed this topic at the summit. Its objective was to increase investment and financing for African countries in order to reduce migratory pressures on Europe. Italy is often the main entry point into the European Union for people fleeing poverty and conflict from Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

In their final communiqué, the G7 announced the creation of a coalition to fight against migrant smuggling. The document highlights that the seven countries “will focus on the root causes of irregular migration, efforts to improve border management and curb transnational organized crime, as well as safe and regular migration pathways.”