Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni revealed that President Donald Trump has shown a clear “willingness” to revise the controversial 28-point Ukraine peace plan, signalling a major shift in Washington’s approach after European objections. Speaking after the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Meloni said the U.S. has now put “in black and white” a direct American role in Ukraine’s security guarantees — an idea she stressed originated in Italy. She acknowledged that several disputed elements of the plan, including territorial concessions, limits on Ukraine’s army and reconstruction funding, will be reopened as talks continue in Geneva. Meloni also defended Europe’s record, insisting EU partners have worked “from the beginning” for peace, while quietly admitting that ultimate decisions will depend on what the U.S., Europe, Ukraine and Russia can formally agree on paper. #italy #trump #europe #US #ukraine #apt
00:00I have heard from Trump, you must have talked about Ukraine, I imagine, and he has found a willingness to somehow amend the plan that was presented in 28 points, also addressing the critical points that you have highlighted as Europeans, but not only, also as G7.
00:13Yes, I have found a willingness on the part of the President of the United States.
00:18We also had a fairly long phone call with the President of Finland, Alex Stubb.
00:24I have found a willingness.
00:26I think that, let's say, the work that our Skerpas are doing today in Geneva, let's say, follows this intention.
00:35I mean, taking a step back, that clearly we have all always worked for peace.
00:40We have all always worked for peace since the beginning of this conflict.
00:44We have done so as Europeans, as Americans, supporting Ukraine.
00:48In its ability to resist a conflict whose outcome many considered, let's say, a foregone conclusion.
00:57It was not so foregone.
00:59We have built that deterrence on the ground that today allows us to talk about peace.
01:03I think we must claim this because it is a work that we have all done together.
01:07After that, clearly, in a meeting whose outcome I unfortunately do not know because it is currently underway.
01:12As you already know, there are some points in the American plan that must certainly be discussed.
01:20The issue of territories, the issue of reconstruction funding, the issue of the Ukrainian army.
01:25There are also many points that I consider particularly positive, especially regarding security guarantees,
01:35where the direct involvement of the United States in a proposal for security guarantees is set out in black and white,
01:42which, as you know, takes up an idea that was originally Italian, namely security guarantees based on the model of Article 5.
01:49However, I think that what can be done is positive, and we are certainly all committed to reaching a document,
01:56a proposal that is as close as possible to what is desired, not so much ours,
02:00but what is needed to have peace, to have an independent and sovereign Ukraine and to have security for Europe as well.
02:10No, I do not think that is the objective.
02:13I think that.
02:19This is clearly not what I see, in the sense that you have witnessed,
02:22I have witnessed all the times when the Ukrainians, Zelensky, have clearly thanked the United States.
02:31The rest, look, is endemic, in the sense that.
02:39The need to, let's say, continue to work with our American allies obviously also derives from the importance of their role in this affair, right?
02:49So, if we were ungrateful towards them, there probably wouldn't be any need for them either,
02:53in the sense that no one would understand the importance they had in the conflict.
02:57Instead, everyone understands it and they understand it very well.
03:01Just as on the issue of Europe continuing to buy houses from Russia,
03:04I was the first to explain to the President of the United States that, for example,
03:08since the beginning of the war, Italy has done an incredible job,
03:12but at the time our dependence was certainly significant,
03:14so perhaps we say, uh, some of what happened afterwards has not come across in the communication,
03:20but for example we have completely diversified, as you know very well,
03:24and we no longer depend on Russia at all.
03:28So Europe has done a very important job in this regard,
03:32but I think that some of the things that are said serve to generate,
03:34let's say, pressure on the interlocutors,
03:37but it seems to me that it is done a bit here and a bit there.
03:39In short, the methods, we know the method, a bit of work,
03:45in some cases it has even been effective, as we have seen in the Middle East.
03:50After that, the real issue, I repeat, in my opinion is not the press releases,
03:54the real issue is what ultimately ends up in black and white on the proposal with which the Americans,
03:59Ukrainians, and Europeans decide to sit down at the table with the Russians.
04:03So, regarding European partners,
04:05I think it was clear in the press release that was issued yesterday, right?
04:09In which it was essentially said exactly what I have said to you now,
04:14that we consider it a starting point and that we are ready to work to improve the proposal.
04:20This was at a meeting attended by all the European leaders present at the G20,
04:24plus the G7 partners, so it's also broader,
04:27and it seems to me that we are all in agreement.
04:28So, look, as far as the pearl is concerned, we don't have a deadline,
04:34in the sense that we are working on a priority basis.
04:36Right now, as I told you, we are working on a 12th aid package and so at the moment we are not adhering.
04:42In the future we will see, but we do not have and have not set ourselves any deadlines.
04:47As for the issue of corruption, it clearly has an impact, of course,
04:50but it also has an impact on our public opinion.
04:53It is legitimate.
04:55I mean, I think it is important in any case that Ukraine has shown that it has the antibodies.
05:01In the end, we must always remember that these arrests are based on initiatives by Ukrainian institutions,
05:08so there is probably a problem, but there are also the antibodies to manage that problem.
05:13So Deputy Prime Minister Salvini says something correct,
05:17that is, he says that Italians, money cannot end up in the hands of corrupt people
05:22and obviously we must be vigilant to ensure that this does not happen,
05:26but I repeat, it seems to me that the Italian government has shown that it has the full will
05:31to combat any corruption, which is all the more serious for them,
05:35given that they have people dying at the front.
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