Salvini Says EU Sanctions on Russia Have Backfired

By Staff, Agencies

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has said the European Union will not succeed in bringing Russia “to its knees,” arguing that sanctions imposed on Moscow have instead harmed Western economies.

Speaking in an interview with Italy’s Rete 4 broadcaster on Monday, Salvini criticized EU policy since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, saying measures aimed at weakening Russia have worsened Europe’s economic crisis and sharply increased energy prices.

“They have put the Western economies and the light bulbs of the Italian families on their knees,” Salvini said, referring to rising household energy costs.

He dismissed claims that sanctions could cripple Russia, drawing historical comparisons.

Salvini said previous attempts to subdue Moscow had failed, citing the military campaigns of Adolf Hitler and Napoleon.

“If Hitler and Napoleon failed with their campaigns to bring Moscow to its knees, it will hardly be possible for Kaja Kallas, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz to do it,” he added.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova welcomed the remarks, calling the comparison “precise” and the conclusion “indisputable.”

He also warned against growing militarization in Western Europe based on what he described as exaggerated claims of a Russian threat.

He also argued that Europe’s primary security challenges lie to the south, particularly illegal immigration, rather than on its eastern borders.