There is still a margin for
finding a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine, Italy's
new Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Thursday.
"Italy's position is clear, namely respect for the
territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine," Gentiloni
told the inter-parliamentary conference on common foreign,
security and defence policy in the Senate.
"It is for this reason that we did not recognise the
elections in Donbas and supported sanctions against Moscow,"
continued the minister.
On Sunday the self-proclaimed pro-Russian breakaway eastern
Ukraine regions of Donetsk and Luhansk held controversial
presidential elections that were supported by Russia, but which
Kiev and the West have condemned as illegal.
"There is still room for a political solution," continued
Gentiloni, saying however that this was linked to the
maintenance of Italy's "firm" position and to the "willingness
to dialogue with countries such as Russia".
Gentiloni was sworn in last Friday as foreign minister to
replace Federica Mogherini, who left the post Friday to
become the European Union's new high representative for foreign
affairs and security policy.
Gentiloni and Mogherini are both senior members of Premier
Matteo Renzi's centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
Gentiloni, 59, served as communications minister in Romano
Prodi's 2006-2008 government.
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