Dialogue with Russia must remain open despite the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, Italy’s Defence Minister said on Friday, commenting on recent talks between his French and Russian counterparts – Reuters.
On Wednesday, French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu had held the first telephone conversation with Sergei Shoigu since October 2022, during the course of which France condemned Russia’s war against Ukraine.
France later denied Russia’s claims that it had expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue on Ukraine or discuss possible peace talks.
Italy’s Guido Crosetto underlined in a statement: “Although the Russian Federation has invaded a sovereign country, and for this reason Italy and France always support and will support Ukraine, it is important (…) that channels of confrontation and dialogue are also kept open.”
Crosetto, who spoke to Lecornu on Thursday, added that “tough and critical” communication is necessary to achieve the goal of stopping the Russian attacks and to “create the conditions for a just peace.”
