Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday that Italy is close to signing a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, adding that the agreement has "political and symbolic" significance, UNN reports citing ANSA.
"I thought it was important and urgent to report to you on the negotiations with the Ukrainian authorities on the bilateral security cooperation agreement that the Prime Minister is going to sign," Tayyani told a joint meeting of the Lower House and Senate Defense and Foreign Affairs Committees.
I consider it my duty to give advance notice to parliament of the contents and key aspects of the ongoing discussions, which we hope to be able to bring to a successful conclusion in the coming days (...) The value of this agreement with Kyiv is political and symbolic in order to give a clear message in favour of international law
Tajani said that Italy also supports the reconstruction of Ukraine, stating that it will take place in two stages: one while the war is still ongoing and the other afterwards.
An Italian minister says that the death in custody of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has led to an "acceleration" of efforts to support Ukraine.
"The dramatic death of Putin's opponent comes just days after the second anniversary of Russia's unjustified and brutal aggression against Ukraine," Tayani said.
"As you know, on my instructions, we summoned the Russian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry in Rome yesterday. And on Monday, in Brussels, I wanted to have a long conversation with (Navalny's widow) Yulia Navalnaya, who was participating in the European Council on Foreign Affairs, also within the framework of Italy's G7 presidency," he said.