Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy
Premier Antonio Tajani said Tuesday that he would like to see
the first stage of next year's Giro d'Italia to be in Ukraine.
"The Giro d'Italia is one of our country's greatest sporting
events and it touches other countries too," Tajani told an event
at the foreign ministry in Rome on cycling's second-biggest
stage race, which sometimes has its first stages outside Italy.
"I would like it to start in Ukraine next year. It would be a
sign of attention for a country that we support with great
strength.
"We consider sport to be a foreign-policy instrument," he added
at an event called 'The 106th Giro d'Italia: a showcase for
Italian know-how'.
"The whole of 'system Italy' forms our foreign policy by making
ties of friendship, solidarity and good neighbourship".
Rome has staunchly supported Ukraine since Russia's invasion
last year, sending military aid to Kyiv and backing Western
sanctions on Moscow
The 106th Giro starts on Saturday and runs until May 28.
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