Crosetto’s lesson to Vannacchio’s followers on Ukraine: weapons for Kyiv are like medicine for a sick person: “They enable it to survive”

 “I’ve been hearing for some time now that helping Ukraine means prolonging the conflict. I’ve never heard anyone in hospital say that giving a blood transfusion or administering medicine means prolonging the illness. Of course, if we don’t treat them, they die and we free up the bed sooner. If we don’t help Ukraine, it will disappear and we’ll be rid of a problem.” This was stated by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto during the follow-up to the hearing on the outcomes of the NATO summit in Ankara before the joint Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, alongside Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Crosetto was responding in particular to remarks on arms supplies to Ukraine made by Davide Bergamini, a member of parliament from Vannacciano (formerly of the League and Forza Italia), who was repeating the usual refrain of pacifists who are not averse to the Kremlin: without aid to Kyiv, there would be ample scope for a diplomatic initiative.

“I,” added Crosetto, “do not tackle international political issues in this way, and I apologise for that, but aid to Ukraine is like medicine for a sick person – it is what has helped them survive so far,” he added. “The government has been clear on this from the outset and continues to be clear. It seems to me that we are continuing to do so; we have put together 13 aid packages and have consistently maintained the same position.”