Ukraine: Italy ready for 'guarantor' role says Di Maio

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 1 - Italy is ready to act as one of the 'guarantors' of neutrality in any postwar settlement in Ukraine, as requested by Kyiv, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Friday.
    In an interview with German tabloid Bild, Di Maio said "as I have already confirmed to (German Foreign) Minister (Annalena) Baerbock at our meeting Tuesday, Italy is willing to contribute to ongoing negotiating efforts, in the role of guarantor in possible solutions of neutrality for Ukraine and offering its experience on the issue of models for safeguarding minorities".
    He added: "Like Germany, also Italy has always supported and will continue to favour a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine, which we believe the only way for a sustainable peace but which unfortunately has not so far found space".
    Both Ukraine and Russia have requested that Italy be among the 'guarantors' of the implementation of an eventual peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow, Premier Mario Draghi said on Thursday.
    Italy is among the 'security guarantors' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants after the Russian invasion of his country, Ukrainian Ambassador to Italy Yaroslav Melnyk told a conference at the Fondazione Einaudi Monday.
    "Our president has launched the initiative U24, United For Peace, to create a group of countries able to give a response within 24 hours in the case of aggression," Melnyk said at the event entitled "Russian Military Aggression In Ukraine: What Future For Our Freedom".
    "In our president's view, the members of this group should be the permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany, Canada, Turkey and also Italy.
    "I'm happy to see Italy on this list". (ANSA).