The Limits of Military Victory in Kyiv
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has stated that Ukraine can never truly win its war against Russia, pointing out that some people thought Ukraine wanted to defeat Russia or that Zelensky would practically enter Moscow with a Ukrainian flag, which he noted is impossible.
Speaking in a recent interview, Crosetto defined the realistic scope of a Ukrainian victory on entirely different terms. According to RБК-Україна, the Italian defense chief explained that victory for Ukraine means that Russia leaves, stops dropping bombs, and Ukraine becomes a free country again, free to live and have its own future.
Public Pushback and Italian Material Support
Crosetto acknowledged that the majority of citizens in Italy are against providing aid to Ukraine, even as the country’s authorities continue to provide support. As Censor.net reported, the defense minister noted that it is difficult to explain that one needs to help a people resist and that such help does not mean one is against peace.
Italy has already transferred 12 defense packages to Ukraine, and will likely send another before the end of the year. This support continues, though the minister warned that obtaining parliamentary approval for further supplies will be more difficult as elections approach.
Geopolitical Calculations and Kremlin Ambitions
Beyond immediate battlefield logistics, Crosetto pointed to a broader geopolitical calculation driving the Kremlin’s actions. He asserted that Vladimir Putin seeks to restore Russia to the form it existed in before the collapse of the Soviet Union, as he does not wish to accept that it is not on the same level as the United States or China, and would like to become a third party at that table.
Citing historical patterns of attack stretching from Afghanistan to Georgia, Crimea, and Ukraine, the Italian minister warned that Russia is currently directing a significant portion of its budget to investments in weaponry or the military sphere. With the number of their military personnel set to reach 1.5 million, Crosetto cautioned that if the war ended tomorrow, Putin would face internal problems himself, which is why Europe and NATO are preparing.
European Friction and Intelligence Access
Meanwhile, parallel reporting from Українська правда highlights that the Italian Defense Minister stated that the restriction by the US of access to satellite systems and intelligence data that Ukraine uses for defense is an “absolute, serious mistake,” warning that such a step is “absolutely meaningless” and could lead to a prolongation of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
