Draghi: Italy’s strong support for Sweden-Finland NATO bid

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi met today with his Finnish counterpart Sana Marin at the Palais de Kizzi in Rome.

“Italy strongly supports Finland’s request for NATO membership. This is a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the threat to our security,” Draghi said. He added that every effort should be made to speed up Finland’s accession process to the Atlantic Alliance and that “Italy will support both Sweden and Finland during this transitional period”.

For her part, the Finnish Prime Minister stressed that her country has provided humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine and is ready to support a new EU package to reduce Moscow’s energy revenues.

“Russia wants to restrict the freedom of other countries and our country wants to protect its own freedom, as well as that of the whole of Europe. That is why our parliament, almost unanimously, voted in favor of our demand for NATO membership. “NATO’s strengthening of our Alliance and our security. Together with Sweden, we will contribute to security in the Baltic and in the whole of Northern Europe,” she added. “Our army is strong and modern, we are grateful to Italy for its support,” said Sana Marin.

Mario Draghi again spoke in favor of a common European defense, in favor of the adoption of new European support measures to address energy costs, while emphasizing that there should be a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine. As for Russia’s decision to expel 24 Italian diplomats today, he stressed that “it is clearly a hostile act, but communication, through diplomacy, must not stop.”

The Prime Minister of Finland, finally, stated that the main priority, at this stage, is the ratification as soon as possible of her country’s accession to the Atlantic Alliance.