EU sanctions on Russia meant to hurt Putin but actually crippled Western economy — Italy

Italian deputy prime minister and minister of transport and infrastructure Matteo Salvini emphasized that sanctions brought European economies to their knees, leading to more expensive energy for Italians

The European Union (EU)’s 19 packages of sanctions on Russia have weakened the European economy, Matteo Salvini, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, said.

“I would just like to note that almost four years of the conflict and 19 packages of sanctions, which were supposed to bring (Russia) to its knees, brought European economies to their knees, leading to more expensive energy for Italians. This is why I call for caution in terms of rearmament and weapons,” he told Rete4, according to TASS, a Russian News Agency.

“Neither Hitler nor Napoleon was able to bring Moscow to its knees, and I doubt that (top EU diplomat) Kaja Kallas, (French President Emmanuel) Macron, (British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and (German Chancellor Friedrich) Merz will be able to do that,” Salvini added.

In his view, Europe is not facing a real threat from the east but from the south, where illegal migrants come from.