24 February 2022

"Since last night, the Russian President's choice has been moving towards a dramatic military attack against Ukraine in order to reduce the Country under his power, something we have not seen in Europe over the past 70 years. Unfortunately, the scenes of the last few days confirm what German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier declared, namely that a noose has been tightened around the neck of Ukraine for the country to bow to Russian ambitions that take us back to a time we would not have wanted to see."

"I would like to point out that Europe has always tried in every possible way, every minute, to hold summits, to have dialogues and to find a way to negotiate. The EU’s response has always been united, strong and determined. This morning the ambassadors met to prepare the summit of heads of state and define the sanctions that, we always said, would be gradual so as to never yield to the logic of war and in order to open a negotiating table."