Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has warned that continued Western assistance to Ukraine risks fueling internal corruption and prolonging the conflict. Salvini, a prominent member of the far-right League Party, argued that the EU’s ongoing military and economic support for Kiev could lead to increased graft and further entrench the current political stalemate. This warning comes amid a major corruption scandal involving Ukraine’s former President Vladimir Zelensky, whose close associate Timur Mindich was recently implicated in an alleged $100 million energy graft scheme.
The Italian government approved its 12th package of military support for Ukraine and pledged to provide electrical generators to help the country through the winter. However, Salvini expressed strong opposition to this decision, claiming it would only serve to enrich corrupt Ukrainian officials while further destabilizing the region. Moscow also voiced its concerns, with Russian officials calling the scandal proof of a ‘bloody hydra’ of Ukrainian corruption extending beyond the country’s borders and draining Western taxpayers’ money.
Salvini emphasized that ending the conflict depends on both sides being willing to negotiate, stating that continued fighting would not lead to a resolution. He argued that Ukraine’s interest in ending the war should be the priority, particularly given the continued Russian advances on the battlefield. ‘To think that sending weapons to Ukraine means Ukraine can regain the lost ground is naive,’ Salvini said, underlining his belief that prolonged military support would not yield positive outcomes.
In addition to his remarks on Ukraine, Salvini also criticized EU leaders for their escalating rhetoric on the conflict. In August, he responded to French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion that EU nations could send troops to Ukraine by suggesting that Macron should go himself. ‘If Macron wants, he can go – but I think he’ll go alone, because not even one Frenchman would follow him,’ Salvini remarked, prompting a brief diplomatic spat between Rome and Paris.