Peace can be achieved with more weapons and sanctions, says the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister

Olha Stefanišyna, Ukrainian deputy premier and right-hand man of Volodymyr Zelensky, explains in an interview with the Foglio how the city of Mariupol today has become the last frontier between liberal democracies and authoritarian regimes.

In the city besieged by the Russians, “still today there are about 100,000 Ukrainian citizens. It is a city that is struggling, being in fact completely surrounded, ”he explains. “Mariupol’s defenders have less equipment and people than the Russian occupiers, but their resistance has not been overcome. Therefore, Russia simply destroyed a city of half a million inhabitants, with constant bombing. Because of their only resistance, Russia was unable to launch an offensive completely on eastern and southern Ukraine. ‘ Mariupol today is this: «A symbol of resistance».

Stefanišyna says that in the city there are thousands of people hoping for humanitarian corridors, which Russia refuses to open, while instead “they are forcibly deporting people to Russia by deception.” In Moscow, she continues, “you don’t care about people’s lives, for them it’s just human shields.”

Stefanišyna speaks of Putin’s mass extermination and accuses Moscow of using phosphorus weapons. “Now we expect chemical attacks,” she says.

Europe has done a lot to help Ukraine, he continues, but it has not done enough yet. More sanctions and more weapons are needed.

Stefanišyna calls for a decision on the total Russian oil and gas embargo to stop financing Putin’s war against the Ukrainian population. “Not doing it”, she says, “will mean the further destruction of my country, but also the destabilization of the whole of Europe, the food and humanitarian crisis”.

And on weapons he says that “modern anti-aircraft weapons are the key to the survival of our citizens. Ukrainian cities, critical infrastructures, are constantly under bombardment from the air, including cruise missiles and airplanes. Ukraine needs to increase airspace control. ” And on both fronts, that of sanctions and arms, Italy can help Kiev, says the deputy premier.