Poroshenko urges Italy to reconsider stance on missile strikes inside Russia
The leader of the European Solidarity party, a Ukrainian MP Petro Poroshenko urged European partners, in particular Italy, to allocate at least 0.25% of GDP for Ukraine's defense needs and said Russia is preparing to continue the war, not seeking peace.
"This year, Russia has spent $145 billion on this war, while Ukraine has spent less than $40 billion. We need weapons to strike deep, even into Russian territory, but in Europe, particularly in Italy, not everyone agrees. Those pressuring our partners to withhold long-range weapons capable of hitting Russian territory are tying our hands," Poroshenko said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Foglio.
He underscored the importance of allocating 0.25% of European GDP to support Ukraine.
"Why is this crucial? Because anyone who thinks Putin is ready for peace talks should understand that the Kremlin has prepared a military budget for the next 25 years. Putin wants to continue this war... Putin seeks not just Crimea, Donbas, Kherson, or Zaporizhia, but the entire territory. He wants Ukraine to be a colony. To those who are tired of this war and just want it to stop, I will say: you are not tired of the war, you are tired of freedom and your values," the politician said.
In his opinion, NATO membership is only swift solution to ending the conflict.
"We need a system of guarantees for our security as a nation, and the only real security guarantee is Article 5. NATO should invite Ukraine, and during the negotiations we can think about expanding Article 5 of NATO along the Swedish or Finnish models. This would be a real guarantee," Poroshenko believes.
He also said the inadmissibility of any compromise on five issues: Ukraine's sovereignty and independence, the territorial integrity, the existence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, compensation for war damages and prosecution of war crimes, and the transatlantic and European integration of Ukraine.
https://www.ilfoglio.it/esteri/2024/10/03/news/l-ex-presidente-poroshenko-candidato-si-voglio-essere-il-primo-eurodeputato-ucraino--7009068/
https://eurosolidarity.org/2024/10/04/poroshenko-v-gazeti-il-foglio-zaklykav-italiyu-pereglyanuty-pozycziyu-shhodo-raketnyh-udariv-vglyb-rosiyi/