The situation in Ukraine and the Italian half-year EU Presidency were the main topics of discussion this morning at the foreign ministry in Rome between Minister for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini and her Czech colleague Lobomir Zaoralek. The Italian Presidency, the Czech minister agreed, “will be an opportunity for growth”.
Ukraine: dialogue the only way
Minister Mogherini confirmed Italy’s approach: dialogue remains the only route to resolving the Ukraine situation. The “window of opportunity” for dialogue between Moscow and Kiev and the fact that Ukraine has a president elect recognised by Russia, she underscored, “gives us faith that energy negotiations can develop in a positive manner”.
Immigration a common EU theme
The theme of immigration was also on the meeting’s agenda. Italy “is working concretely, ahead of the European Council in late June, on sharing out responsibility for the rational management of migrant and refugee reception”, Mogherini said. In the minister’s opinion, “there is growing international and European awareness that this is neither an Italian nor a southern European problem, but rather a question that needs a European solution that works”, she added.
