Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that conditions were not yet ideal for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Draghi told a news conference on Thursday, when asked about a phone call with Putin at the Last day.
Draghi also said Putin explained to him that the current gas contracts remain in place and that European companies will continue to pay in euros and dollars, not rubles.
“What I understood, but I could be wrong, is that the payment conversion is an internal affair of the Russian Federation,” said the Italian.
Asked about the increase in defense spending following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Draghi said Italy would meet NATO’s target of spending 2% of GDP on defense in 2028, adding that this was not under discussion among coalition members.
However, Draghi said the government’s upcoming economic forecast document will not define a specific increase in defense spending.
On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said it would “drastically reduce” military deployment in regions near Kiev and Chernihiv, but Ukrainian forces and authorities reported increased hostility in some parts of the country.
*with information from Reuters
Source: CNN Brasil
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