The effect of the sanctions on Russia has led to a loss of about 3 billion euros for Italy, Coldiretti states in a statement. Yesterday the Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, during his speech to the Senate of the Republic has made clear hints of openness to Russia, unequivocally giving a turn to Italian foreign policy.
On the same day from Vienna, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated that the sanctions do not agree with anyone: "Everyone is interested in removing them". Italy's diplomatic work against Russia in Brussels has never really stopped. And it remains a feature of the Italian governments of the last twenty years, from Pratica di Mare onwards, with affinity peaks during the Berlusconi governments, which, however, has also characterized the center-left governments over the years. The former premier Paolo Gentiloni has repeatedly underlined, also in the last phase, the "double track" followed by Italy of "firmness" in the face of violations, while keeping "the door to dialogue open". A job, the Italian one, never came out of the perimeter traced together with the other Member States in Brussels, which have always moved in unison from the Crimean invasion. "We have the five guiding principles for EU policies towards Russia that were agreed in the 2016 and then reiterated in April by 2018 from all the 28 member states at the level of the Foreign Affairs Council," recalled the EU Commission. As Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, next incoming president, immediately after the meeting with Putin he assured that he will continue to support the Brussels decisions, including sanctions. It is no coincidence that Moscow has reacted with cautious optimism to the announcement of Conte: "Italy - said the president of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Senate Konstantin Kosachev - is an integral part of the European Union and EU leaders have ways to influence any member country: we know very well how the leaders of other states have made similar statements but when the time came to vote even the most 'subversive' did not break the lines ". The Government's goal, moreover, was clearly stated: "We will be supporters of an openness to Russia, which has consolidated its international role in various geopolitical crises in recent years. We will promote a review of the sanctions system ". Phrases that do not seem to aim to 'break the lines', but rather to give new impetus to the voice of Italy in Europe. On this, as on many other delicate dossiers. The first opportunity to face them, for the Prime Minister, will be in just three days in Canada, inside a G7 that has expelled Russia from the 2014, when it invaded the Crimea. And where he awaits his first bilateral, which will be with the most powerful woman in Europe, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Opening in Moscow and review of sanctions, therefore, as Conte said, "starting from those that risk to mortify Russian civil society", but without losing sight of the interests of Italians.