Draghi-Putin phone call: “Gas and wheat reassurances. But no glimmer for peace "
Conversation between the Italian prime minister and the Russian president focused on Ukraine and the food crisisMario Draghi (Ansa)
Phone call between Vladimir Putin and Mario Draghi. At the center of the discussion was the war in Ukraine , not only as regards the resumption of negotiations, but also the effects of sanctions, starting with energy supplies and grain blocked in ports .
During the telephone conversation, the Kremlin explained, the Russian leader confirmed that Moscow intends to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of gas to Italy and is ready to help overcome the food crisis in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
According to what was reported by Draghi at a press conference, during the interview the Russian president stressed that "the food crisis is the fault of the sanctions and that if the sanctions were lifted, Russia could export grain. But obviously the sanctions are there because Russia has attacked Ukraine ".
"I looked for President Putin - added the premier - the aim was to ask if something could be done to unlock the grain that is now in the deposits in Ukraine because the food crisis that is approaching and is already present in some African countries will have proportions gigantic and terrible humanitarian consequences ".
Still, Draghi said, during the phone call “almost only he spoke on a general level. For me it was important to see if the issue of corn stuck in the Black Sea ports could be unblocked ".
On the negotiating front, Draghi recalled the figure of former Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin , who “embodies the relentless search for peace. The truce reached with Egypt in the 1970s, the 1993 Oslo Accords which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize, and the treaty with Jordan in 1994 are a point of reference for all those who believe in negotiation as the l 'the only way to resolve disputes, even the most bitter and violent ”.
" However, I have not seen glimmers of peace " from the phone call with Russian President Putin, highlighted the premier.
INTERNAL POLICY - As regards Italian politics, Draghi assured that all the objectives set by the NRP will be achieved and “also on the fiscal delegation - he added - we are close to an agreement. The government program goes on and on well . "
(Unioneonline / lf)