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Ukraine: imposing no-fly zone would have devastating effects says Di Maio

Opened 'red line' with Moscow on evacuating civilians says foreign minister

Redazione Ansa

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 4 - NATO will not apply a no-fly zone to Ukraine as this would have devastating effects, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on the sidelines of an extraordinary NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels Friday.
    "As NATO we agree that we must get Putin back to the table, to reach a diplomatic solution," said the Italian foreign minister.
    "We are heading for a No to a no-fly zone because that would directly involve NATO in he conflict and would trigger a conflict that would have devastating effects throughout Europe".
    Di Maio went on, on the subject of humanitarian corridors for refugees: "We have opened a red line with Russia for the evacuation of civilians from Ukraine.
    "It is work we will do from the humanitarian standpoint with the crisis unity and intelligence services, and I want to thank all the apparatus of the Italian state that we will involve to evacuate children from the bombs, families who no longer have a home.
    "Because the Russian army has also hit civilian targets".

Di Maio added that "if Russia thinks it can blackmail us on energy then they've got the wrong country." He said "we expect a European energy strategy, I think it is fundamental for ensuring the stability of the whole EU. I also want to say that Italy is not only working on the EU level but also on a bilateral level.
"In the coming hours we will organize fresh trips, after the one in Algeria, together with Eni and CEO Claudio Descalzi to continue in the strategy of energy diversification.
"If some people thought they could blackmail Italy on energy then they've got the wrong country".


    (ANSA).
   

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