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Jan 25 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
Meanwhile, in Italy: Russian president Putin will address major Italian businesses, such as ENI, Enel, Unicredit, Pirelli, Barilla, via videolink at an event tomorrow organized by the Italian-Russian chamber of commerce, according to Repubblica newspaper.
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There's no doubt Putin is going to talk about losses for the Italian economy if Rome supports sanctions against Russia promised by the West in case of a new attack on Ukraine. In fact, many Italian businesses don't need to be persuaded to side with Russia: they already do.
Business circles have a significant influence on the Italian politics. And while prime minister Draghi took a tougher stance on Russia than his predecessors, he is almost on his own. Italy is choosing the new president these days,and one of potential candidates is Franco Frattini
Frattini is known for his pro-Russian views. Here is just one example: his tweet from March 2020, advocating to lift sanctions on Russia, just as Russian military convoy was marching over Italy with so-called Covid aid, in what later turned out to be an intelligence operation
At this crucial moment for Europe, not just for Ukraine, Italy risks choosing the wrong side of history. It is, together with Germany, the most reluctant EU country to stand up to Russia and show real support to Ukraine. /
End
Tellingly, in this piece, Repubblica journalist uses a strange expression that 'the US and NATO could support Ukraine's war against Russia' 🙄 Perhaps, an indication of disinformation narratives permeating Italy
Confirmed by the Kremlin: 'The discussion will focus on current aspects of trade, economic and investment cooperation between Russia and Italy, as well as the prospects for further expansion of business ties between entrepreneurs from the two countries'
en.kremlin.ru/events/preside…
Not just my opinion:
Italy's defence minister said the country stands by the NATO side in its support of Ukraine. Several Italian MPs and the committee of intelligence criticised the meeting of Italian enterprises with Putin, said foreign ministry was not notified about it decode39.com/2731/italy-nat…

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More from @olgatokariuk

Olga Tokariuk Profile picture
Jan 22
⚡Russia planned to overthrow the government in Kyiv and to install pro-Russian politician Yevgeniy Murayev as head of the occupation administration in Ukraine, according to the UK foreign ministry. Murayev is a former MP and owner of Nash TV channel.
📷 defaced ad for Nash TV
The assessment, provided by the UK Foreign Office, alleges that Russian intelligence officers currently involved in the planning for an attack on Ukraine are also collaborating with several former Ukrainian officials who fled to Moscow in winter 2014
buzzfeednews.com/article/christ…
"The UK Foreign Office said Russian intelligence services currently involved in the planning of a new attack on Ukraine are in close contact with several former Ukrainian officials who served in the Yanukovych government. They include:
Read 10 tweets
Olga Tokariuk Profile picture
Jan 17
'In 2011, for example, the German defense contractor Rheinmetall signed a $140 million contract to build a combat simulation training center in Mulino, in southwest Russia, that would train 30,000 Russian combat troops per year'
thedailybeast.com/germany-helped…
'The U.S. officials believe that some of the German training over the last few years was given to the GRU Spetsnaz, the special operations forces that moved unmarked into Crimea and who can now be found stirring up trouble in eastern Ukraine.'
“It’s unfortunate that German companies were directly supporting and training Russia’s military even during the attacks against Ukraine,” one senior Senate aide told The Daily Beast.
Read 4 tweets
Olga Tokariuk Profile picture
Jan 17
German position that it will not supply defensive weapons to Ukraine is 'unchanged', foreign minister @ABaerbock said at the press conference with the Ukrainian FM @DmytroKuleba in Kyiv. 'Our restrictive position to weapons supply is well-known and is rooted in history', she said
Baerbock said Germany supports Ukraine and its security in many ways, mentioning treatment and rehabilitation of injured Ukrainian soldiers in Berlin. She ducked the question what practical support it will provide in case of a new attack against Ukraine, emphasizing diplomacy
German FM repeated that a new Russian aggression on Ukraine will have a high cost, without providing more details. She stressed the need to negotiate in different formats, including Normandy, OSCE, etc. 'If the door is closed, windows should be open'
Read 4 tweets
Olga Tokariuk Profile picture
Jan 13
For the last three days, Italian public TV @RaiUno has been broadcasting reports from occupied Donetsk. In these reports, Russia is praised for rebuilding the city, war is described as between Russia and the US, and Ukrainians are called fascists
Reporter says things such as "Up to 2014, Donbas was the most productive and richest part of Ukraine. Today is keeps afloat thanks to the help from Russia, the great mother of this piece of land'
In the latest report, Russian proxies in the trenches said they were combatting against 'Ukrainian fascists' and mentioned the Stalingrad battle. None of these outrageous things are contested or balanced by the reporter. Italian viewers who pay for public TV deserve better
Read 12 tweets
Olga Tokariuk Profile picture
Jan 12
"We must not only condemn Russia’s illegal occupations of Ukraine and Georgia, but we must demand a withdrawal from both countries by a certain date and organize coalition forces willing to take action to enforce it."
A strong take by @EvelynNFarkas
defenseone.com/ideas/2022/01/…
"The horrible possibility exists that Americans, with our European allies, must use our military to roll back Russians—even at risk of direct combat. But if we don’t now, Putin will force us to fight another day, likely to defend our Baltic or other Eastern European allies."
"I believe Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is even more likely after watching Russian forces quell the current round of demonstrations in Kazakhstan. The demonstrations in Almaty and throughout the country likely only intensified Putin’s alarm for democratic uprisings"
Read 5 tweets
Olga Tokariuk Profile picture
Jan 12
'We will not slam the door shut on the NATO open-door policy', says @DeputySecState after NATO-Russia talks in Brussels. She calls Russian proposals 'non-starters'
As we speak, Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops at Ukraine's borders and escalated its aggressive rhetoric and disinformation against Ukraine - dep Secretary of State Wendy Sherman
We told the Russians directly today again that if Russia further invades Ukraine, there will be costs and consequences greater than in 2014 - @DeputySecState
Read 6 tweets

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