But as Angela Merkel, German chancellor, has become more uncompromising and won over the more reticent elements of her own foreign ministry, EU diplomats say a new obstacle to tougher anti-Russian sanctions has emerged: Italy.
“Right from day one, it was clear the Italians were going to take an extreme position,” one western European diplomat said.
Top Italian officials vehemently deny such allegations. One senior Italian official said Matteo Renzi, prime minister, “spoke to Merkel about this issue” on Friday and insisted the Italian position was “entirely in line” with the German and French stances.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
