Moscow : Italian Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini visited Moscow Wednesday to drive home one of his favorite points: that European Union sanctions on Russia hurt Italy and should be repealed.
“The Russian sanctions are a social, cultural and economic absurdity,” Salvini told the annual meeting of the Russian branch of Italy’s main business lobby Confindustria, repeating the same lines he’s used in at least two occasions the past few days. “We hear that Europe wants to accelerate things with an automatic renewal, without asking the opinions of members states. If they ask us to swallow such a thing, we will simply say no.”
The sanctions regime “makes no sense and produces no positive effect,” Salvini said. “It will end, in six months, in a year, I don’t know.”
Salvini’s office says he’s on a private trip. No meetings with Russian leaders are scheduled and he’s due back in Italy Thursday.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte follows Salvini with an official visit to Moscow on Oct. 24, where he’s expected to meet with his counterparts from the Russian administration.
