Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko discussed peaceful solutions to the conflict in southeastern Ukraine during their meeting in Milan, Poroshenko's press service has reported.
“The situation in Donbas is a tragedy that goes beyond the framework of a regional conflict and causes damage to Europe as a whole,” the Italian president said.
He also said that elections in Donbas should abide by Ukrainian laws, otherwise, the world will never recognize these ‘pseudo-elections’ organized by the militants.
Securing a solution to such a complex situation requires joint efforts of the European Union and the entire trans-Atlantic community, as well as Ukraine and Russia, Napolitano said.
Napolitano and Poroshenko also discuss the gas issue, including the ongoing gas consultations between the European Union, Ukraine and Russia, as well as the implementation of Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the EU.
The Ukrainian leader also met with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. They reaffirmed the importance of re-establishing Kyiv’s control over the entire Ukrainian-Russian border, ending the war and securing the release of all hostages.
Poroshenko and Renzi said it was crucial to find a solution to the energy security issue of Ukraine and Europe. Hopefully, the EU’s involvement in these talks will help resolve this matter.
The world will not recognize elections in Donbas if they do not abide by Ukrainian laws, they said, adding that such a situation would only serve to further escalate tensions in the region.
