The European Union and Nato must show Russia's newly re-elected president Vladimir Putin that Ukraine has the backing of Western and other countries to avert a wider war in Europe, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday.
"Everything must be done so that this does not happen," Tajani told public broadcaster Rai 3's Agora programme when asked about the risk of a widening European conflict.
"The best way to make Putin understand that Ukraine is not alone is the political unity of Europe and Nato, making it clear to Russia that Ukraine is strongly supported by the whole West and not only," Tajani said.
In the interview, Tajani reaffirmed Italy's opposition to the deployment of troops to help Ukraine in the more-than-two-year old war with Russia amid an ammunition shortage and recent Russian advances.
"No one has ever talked during Nato meetings about sending troops to fight in Ukraine against the Russian army, not even the Ukrainians have asked us to do so," Tajani stated.
