Italy's Defence Minister said on Monday economic sanctions against Russia had failed and called on the West to try harder to negotiate a diplomatic solution with President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, APA reports citing Reuters.
"Instead ... the only way to resolve this crisis is to involve everyone, first (to obtain) a truce and then peace," Guido Crosetto said.
In answer to the interviewer's objection that Putin had shown no willingness to negotiate, Crosetto replied: "that is a good reason for us to try harder. We mustn't give up any possible path of diplomacy, however narrow."
The Italian minister also said that Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia last summer had been a mistake given Russia's military superiority.
Crosetto said he had personally warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that it was doomed to failure, "but I wasn't listened to."
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