Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, has announced a visit to Belgrade on April 1. He will not travel alone: to convey a message of concern, he will be accompanied by his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul.
“On March 3, we will hold the Friends of the Balkans meeting in Rome. On April 1, we will be in Belgrade with German Minister Wadephul to send our message of concern to Serbia. We will support Ukraine, which needs to find a way forward,” Tajani said, according to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, as reported by Gazeta Express.
Tajani made these remarks while discussing European Union enlargement. He expressed support for the Western Balkans, stating he favors their EU accession before Ukraine’s.
“We support Ukraine’s accession, but the Balkans come first. We have a commitment to them, and they are a priority for us,” he said.
He also spoke about peace in Europe and, referring to the United States, stressed the importance of keeping both sides of the West united, calling them “the two pillars of NATO.”
“Transatlantic relations are fundamental; they always have been, regardless of who is the U.S. president. We must focus on dialogue with our heads held high.
To protect peace, we must address the issue of defense because the more Europe can guarantee its security, the lower the risk of a possible conflict. Defense must be strengthened from a NATO perspective,” Tajani added.
