Crosetto at the Festival of Optimism: “Schlein is right on Ukraine. We cannot be divided on Kyiv”

"A country like ours should not even for a moment allow the war in Ukraine to become a matter of political division, because it concerns values that transcend party lines – the founding values of our Constitution." This was stated by the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, during an interview on stage at the Festival of Optimism. "I find it hard to understand how one can remain neutral between Ukraine and Russia," added Crosetto, "because it is impossible to remain neutral between good and evil. Nor is it possible to turn a blind eye to evil." The minister therefore praised the remarks made by the PD secretary on stage at Il Foglio a few hours earlier: “I am pleased to count Elly Schlein among us; this is a fundamental point, a stance that must not change and which we have maintained unchanged even compared to previous governments,” he concluded. 

But why is the Russian threat not perceived by so many in Italy as a real danger? Does no one fear that a tank from Moscow might arrive here? “I do not wish to reverse this perception,” replied Crosetto, “but as Minister of Defence, I am obliged to identify the threats to my nation. And I have to ask myself why there are hundreds of cyber-attacks on the country’s civilian and military infrastructure, the vast majority of which originate from two nations: Russia and China. And there are just as many attempts at disinformation coming from these same two countries. Why this hostile attitude?” Crosetto then asked rhetorically: “Do you think Italy, the UK, France or NATO countries could ever decide to invade Russia? Obviously not. Yet the narrative in Russia is that NATO is encircling Russia in order to invade it. But they know that’s not the case. So why is that? Meanwhile, 50 per cent of their economy has been transformed into a war economy, with 1.5 million soldiers conscripted and 30,000 young people dying in Ukraine every month – a figure that is impossible to ascertain in Russia. The reason for all this,” the minister concluded, “I do not know, but I do know that in the face of such an attitude, I must be concerned.”

Crosetto nevertheless defended the government’s decision to reduce this year’s increase in defence spending by 0.3 per cent: “The economic situation caused by rising energy prices, wars and international instability,” he said, “means we must take into account the difficulties faced by households and businesses. “It did not require any sacrifice on my part,” he explained, “because a society is secure when people have a job, when that job allows them to support their families, when the country is able to meet the technological challenges of the future, and when schools and hospitals are functioning.” 

But the minister also spoke of the weaknesses in our country’s defence system: “Air defence is currently the most exposed front in the whole of Europe, and indeed in our own country. It requires greater investment in new technologies, both in the physical and cyber domains. With new technologies, even a terrorist organisation can purchase 200 drones and cause serious problems.”

On the sidelines of the interview on stage, Crosetto also spoke about the upcoming general election. “An early election? It’s news to me that Fratelli d’Italia is pushing for an early election. I’m not aware of that.”