ANALYSIS – As I noted previously, Italy’s ‘just right’ new leader Giorgia Meloni has clearly separated herself from her coalition partners and pro-Putin European far-right parties by strongly condemning Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
She has also expressed her support for NATO, and Italy’s prior government’s backing of Ukraine.
Meloni, who will become Italy’s new prime minister, previously said Putin ‘threatens the security of the entire European continent’ and that his annexation of four Ukrainian regions has ‘no legal and political value.’
That most certainly angered Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and he appears to be responding.
Russia’s Gazprom temporarily suspended gas deliveries to Italy just days Meloni publicly backed Ukraine.
As is often the case with the wily Putin, no official statement was made by Russia, and the Italian energy giant Eni said they were informed by Gazprom that the suspended gas problem was due to a payments issue in Austria.
The Daily Mail reported that:
Putin has been at loggerheads with European countries over the supply of natural gas and has been accused of using the flow of gas needed for energy in the region as an economic weapon.
Most of Russian gas delivered to Italy passes via Ukraine through the Trans Austria Gas Pipeline (TAG), to Tarvisio in northern Italy on the border with Austria.
Gazprom later in the day said in a statement that the transportation of Russian gas through Austria had been suspended ‘due to the refusal of the Austrian operator to confirm the transport nominations.’
But some experts believe it was a signal from an angry Putin to Meloni.
Meanwhile, another major test for the new Italian government will be relations with the other world-class bully and threat, communist China.
Before the election, Meloni made a rare statement on Taiwan, voicing opposition to China’s military threats to the island. She also said she would promote official contacts between Italy and Taiwan, something Beijing vehemently opposes.
She has also been vocal in criticizing the communist regime in China over its horrible human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
This is in stark contrast to the increasingly cordial ties Italy had been forging with China in the past three years.
As the South China Morning Post reported:
Italy’s signing of a memorandum in support of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2019 appeared to signal a new era of closer ties.
The move, by Italy’s then prime minister Giuseppe Conte, was intended to help revitalise his country’s economy, but was viewed with concern by the United States and European Union who feared this Group of Seven member was moving within Beijing’s ambit.
China and Italy agreed to boost collaboration further when marking the 50th anniversary of ties in 2020.
Italy is the only G-7 country to have signed a memorandum of understanding with China on the BRI.
As Voice of America (VOA) reported:
The Italian government had hoped the deal with Beijing would boost Italian exports to China. However, some observers said China was more interested in building infrastructure in the country and buying up companies than boosting trade.
Meloni has described the signing of that belt and road memorandum as “a big mistake,” and hopefully she will reverse it, along with other prior pro-Beijing moves.
“If the memorandum is renewed tomorrow, I hardly see the right political conditions,” Meloni said in a September 23 interview with Taiwan’s state Central News Agency.
But the biggest potential flash point with China will likely be over Melon’s strong stated support for an independent and democratic Taiwan.
As VOA added:
In July, Meloni posted on Twitter a pre-election statement on Taiwan. The post showed a photo of her and Taiwan’s representative in Italy, Andrea Lee Sing-ying. Meloni called Lee an ambassador. The tweet continued by saying she “always stands alongside those who believe in the values of freedom and democracy.”
Taiwan and Italy do not have formal diplomatic relations. Like many other nations, Italy has diplomatic relations with China. Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and bristles at any official contacts between Taipei and other nations.
Last week, in an interview with Taiwan’s official Central News Agency, Meloni said the party that she leads, the Brothers of Italy, would join democratic countries in condemning China’s military threat to Taiwan and that the European Union should use all of its diplomatic and political means to exert pressure to avoid conflicts in the Taiwan Strait.
Expect China to wait and see if Meloni’s actions match her rhetoric. But if they do, as we all hope, also expect increasingly harsh rhetoric and bullying from an angry China.
And to that I say – good for Meloni. She is angering all the right people. ALD
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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And, she angered our idiot POTUS.
So she’s backing the Globalist. I hope she’s just ignorant. Ukraine’s Zelinsky is a Tyrant who murdered citizens by shelling and sending his Nazi special forces to force the provinces annexed by Russia to be annexed by Ukraine. He Jailed his political rivals and shut down media that stood against him. The only difference between Russia and Zelinsky is the WEF controlled Biden administration is making Billions off Ukraine and the 70% of the $56,000,000,000 sent as aid. Inspector general of the United States says 70% of aid is untraceable and weapon’s supplied are turning up on the black market.
Yup, but its also the ukranian bio labs that tick me off…..
Poor vlad, if it bothers the rooskie, get OUT of Ukraine!