Italy joined Germany, Britain and other European nations in saying on Tuesday they did not plan to deploy troops to Ukraine after France's president, Emmanuel Macron hinted at the possibility amid arms shortages and Russian battlefield gains.
"It's Macron's idea, it seems to me that when we talk about sending troops we have to be very cautious, we must not make people think that we are at war with Russia," Tajani said.
"My personal judgment is that I am not in favor of sending Italian troops to fight in Ukraine," Tajani continued.
Tajani was speaking in Zagreb on the sidelines of an Italy-Croatia ministeral coordination committee meeting.
A conflict with Nato would be inevitable if Western troops go to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said on Tuesday after Macron told reporters on Monday that "nothing should be ruled out" to prevent the former Soviet republic's defeat.
