NATO’s strategy towards the conflict in Ukraine has not led to the desired result of the alliance, and the economic sanctions imposed on Russia have not crippled its economy, former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.
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“The strategy pursued so far in NATO, based on constant military supplies to Ukraine and the logic of escalation, has not led to the desired military defeat of Russia. Quite differently. There was no defeat of the Russian army in Bakhmut, there was no collapse of its military units, there was no retreat at Ukrainian counteroffensive,” the politician wrote on Facebook.
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Conte acknowledged that the economic sanctions imposed on Russia “did not lead to its bankruptcy and did not undermine the economy.”
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The former Italian prime minister added that the possibility of internal destabilization in Russia collapsed “in the face of the strengthening of Putin’s leadership and the growth of internal consensus,” and Western policy did not lead to the isolation of Russia.
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“The isolation of Russia has by no means become a reality. On the contrary. The 15th summit of the BRICS group led by Russia and China has just ended with the specific prospect of its further expansion in 2024, which will cover 45% of the world’s population and 38.2% world GDP,” he said.
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Conte stressed that the conflict in Ukraine “revealed the inability of the European Union to develop an effective common strategy and exercise independent political and economic leadership” and emphasized the subordination of European leaders to the United States.
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Conte, on behalf of the opposition socio-political Movement 5 Stars (D5Z), has been sharply criticizing the Italian government’s policy of military support for Ukraine for a long time and opposes new arms supplies to Kiev, because, in his opinion, this leads to an escalation conflict. A week ago, speaking at a public event in southern Italy, the ex-prime minister said that Volodymyr Zelensky cannot single-handedly decide under what conditions the conflict in Ukraine should be resolved. The D5Z leader called the West’s denial of the talks a “strategic mistake” that could trigger the use of nuclear weapons.
