Following Sunday’s drone attack on the Russian-held Zaporizhzhya power plant in eastern Ukraine, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tijani asserted the risk of creating a new Chernobyl must be averted and that a free zone around a nuclear plant must be declared immediately.
He also advised against fighting in the vicinity of the nuclear plant.
A few days earlier, during a celebration for the 75th NATO anniversary, Tijani hinted at the possibility of resuming ties with Russia in the future.
We are not at war with Russia.
We criticize Moscow’s policies but we are not at war with the Russian people.
And we definitely intend to resume relations with the Russian people.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tijani
It is the first time the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, has been targeted in military action since November 2022.
Russia blamed Ukraine for launching drone attacks on the plant for a third day, but Ukraine denied any involvement.
The Italian Foreign Minister’s position on the nuclear plant attack is very interesting.
Rome, for the first time since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, is not just taking the side of Kiev but it is pragmatically looking at the interests of the whole of Europe without focusing on who is to blame for the attack.
Giampaolo Cadalanu, Geopolitical Analyst
Also on Tuesday, European Union Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell reiterated a warning that the UN atomic watchdog, the IAEA, had issued earlier this week.
Borrell said the reckless drone attack in Zaporizhzhya increases the risk of a dangerous nuclear accident.
Italy has often reaffirmed its unwavering support for Ukraine despite Russia’s warning against such moves.
The Italian government has so far approved six military support packages to Kiev inclusive of both lethal and non-lethal equipment and specialized military training activities.
