There can be no military solution to the Ukraine crisis, only a political one, Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s new head of foreign policy, has insisted.
In her first interview since being appointed at the weekend, Ms Mogherini, soon to step down as Italy’s foreign minister, said: “It’s in the interests of Ukraine, Europe and Russia that the crisis should have a political, not a military solution.”
The prospect of Europe going to war to defend Ukraine against Russian aggression “simply does not exist”, she insisted.
As Italian foreign minister Ms Mogherini, who replaces Britain’s Catherine Ashton, had been accused by some European countries, notably Poland and the Baltic states, of being too placatory towards Moscow.
East European countries had expressed concerns that Italy’s reliance on Russian energy supplies would result in Ms Mogherini being too soft on the Putin regime.