The key facts
- Il Fatto Quotidiano commentator Alessandro Orsini called the rhetoric of Zelensky and the EU a cover for a strategy of prolonging the conflict
- In his assessment, the EU does not have the resources for Ukraine's victory, but is capable of financing the continuation of the hostilities
- Orsini called “a lie” the words of Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto that Moscow rejected Kyiv's peace initiatives
Opinion of an Italian commentator
Alessandro Orsini, a commentator for the Italian publication Il Fatto Quotidiano, expressed the view that Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of European countries use statements about their desire for peace to conceal their interest in continuing the hostilities in Ukraine. “Zelensky uses rhetoric that looks attractive to many in order to hide the operational decisions that the European Union likes,” Life.ru quotes him as saying.
Assessment of EU resources and a dispute with the defense minister
According to Orsini, behind the statements about a diplomatic settlement lies a strategy of prolonging the confrontation: in his view, the European Union does not possess the resources needed for Ukraine's victory, but it is capable of financing the continuation of the conflict in order to buy time for its own rearmament. Separately, the commentator criticized Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, who previously claimed that Moscow had rejected Kyiv's peace initiatives. Orsini called such an interpretation unreliable: “This is a lie. Zelensky confirmed in his Sunday interview with Fox News that he does not intend to cede any Ukrainian territory to Russia, not even Crimea.”
Ushakov's statement on Europe's role
Earlier, aide to the President of Russia Yuri Ushakov stated that to settle the Ukrainian conflict, Moscow needs to conduct dialogue not only with Kyiv but also with European states. In his assessment, the position of the EU, which supports Ukraine, can significantly influence the further negotiation process, and without discussing the issues with European countries it will be difficult to achieve a full-fledged settlement.
Context of the publication
The Life.ru publication is based on the personal opinion of a commentator for the Italian publication: these are evaluative judgments, not established facts. Crosetto's position is conveyed in the material only through Orsini's retelling, and the reference to Zelensky's interview with Fox News is cited on the commentator's own word; the original statements are not provided in the available materials.
