Russia says it cannot regard Italy as ‘honest broker’ on Ukraine war

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Wednesday said it cannot regard Italy as an “honest broker” or possible mediator in peace talks with Ukraine due to its position against Moscow.

“Obviously, given the partisan position taken by Italy, we cannot regard it as either an ‘honest broker’ or a possible guarantor of the peace process,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in response to a question by the media, which was later published on the ministry’s official website.

She said it is “strange” for Moscow to hear proposals for mediation from countries that took “an unequivocal and very aggressive anti-Russian position” since the very beginning of its “special military operation” in Ukraine last February.

Zakharova added that some of these countries try to play such a role “sincerely,” while others pursue such an approach with “selfish goals” and with the intent to be involved in the negotiation process in order to receive “foreign policy dividends.”

Defining Italy’s inclusion among these countries as “unfortunate,” Zakharova said Rome not only supports Kyiv, but also provides it with significant “military and military-technical assistance.”

“It is known that Italy, along with an extensive range of weapons and military equipment, supplies Kyiv with anti-personnel mines,” Zakharova added.

She added that these actions have the potential to bring NATO countries into a direct military clash with Russia.

“It would be better if the European pseudo-peacekeepers stopped the military support of Kyiv and focused their efforts on more firm and demanding work with the President of Ukraine (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy, who repeatedly voiced his complete rejection of the peaceful settlement of the conflict, and on September 30, 2022, he even signed a decree on refusal to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin,” she added.