Russia does not seem serious about seeking peace in Ukraine despite pressure from Washington, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in an interview with Reuters, in which he also expressed outrage at Israel's strikes on Gaza.
Italy's conservative government is ideologically aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump and, unlike many other European countries, has refused to criticize his policies.
But while Rome has welcomed U.S. efforts to end the three-year war in Ukraine, Italian ministers have privately expressed concern about Trump's approach to Kiev and have even openly warned that Russia may try to mislead him.
"Nothing has changed with the Russians", said Crosetto, who is politically very close to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. "It is clear that they want to continue with the attacks, as they have been for the last three years," he added.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that it was not easy to reach an agreement with the United States on a possible peaceful solution, adding that Moscow would not fall into a diplomatic trap.
Underlining the close ties between Italy and the Trump administration, Meloni is due to hold talks with the US president in Washington on Thursday, April 17, before returning directly to Rome to meet US Vice President J.D. Vance, who will visit Italy over Easter.
Italy, like the United States, has strongly supported Israel during its invasion of Gaza following the attack on October 7, 2023. against southern Israeli communities by Hamas militants.
Crosetto, however, criticized recent Israeli actions in the Palestinian enclave, including strikes on a hospital and other attacks that killed civilians, including paramedics.
"For me, the life of a Palestinian child is equal to that of a Ukrainian or an Italian child. "A Palestinian hospital has the same value as a Ukrainian or an Italian hospital," he said, adding that Israel must admit its mistakes.
"Sometimes you have to have the courage to say, "I'm sorry."
The minister expressed regret over the end of the ceasefire last month and expressed concern that the violence could spread beyond Gaza.
"Gaza is like a lake into which every day a stone is thrown, and the circles it creates are getting wider and wider," he said, referring to the threat of war with Iran.
On the domestic front, Crosetto stressed the need for Italy to increase its military spending — a long-standing demand of Trump — although he acknowledged that there was resistance at home to such a move.
Italy's projected 2024 defense budget is 1.49% of GDP, according to NATO data — below the alliance’s 2% target, which Trump has been pushing to raise to 5%.
The government is considering transferring various budget items, including the coast guard and military pensions, to the defense portfolio, in a move that would raise spending to 2% of GDP in one go.
But Crosetto noted that years of underinvestment in military equipment and infrastructure still need to be made up for.
He stressed that many Italians are reluctant to prioritize defense because of what he said is a misguided fear that it will lead to war.
"Investment in defense is precisely aimed at preventing conflict," the Italian minister said.