"Yesterday we recorded a step forward: we voted for a large part of the resolutions of all the rest of our allies and we made cross abstentions, which is a step forward compared to how we have dealt with this step in the past. We also have a lot in common on the issue of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We have all always condemned Putin's criminal invasion and we support the need for a political and diplomatic negotiating effort on the part of the European Union through the appointment of a single negotiator". The secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein said this at the end of the pre-summit meeting of the European Socialist Party in Brussels, commenting yesterday on the vote in Parliament on the resolutions ahead of the European Council.
"There are still differences - she added - on how to support Ukraine as long as we have obtained a truce, a negotiating table for a just peace. We are discussing it and I am convinced that we will be able to find an agreement on this too. We all know that we have an enormous responsibility to build an alternative to a right that is failing".
"On Ukraine we also reiterated our position yesterday, which is to support the defense of the people who have suffered a criminal invasion. And at the same time ask the European Union for a single and strong voice to help reach a truce and a negotiation for a just peace, which for us is obviously not surrender to the aggressor's reasons. We cannot leave all the negotiating work to ambiguous phone calls between Trump and Putin", underlined Schlein.
"In the meantime - he continued - we need to point out the differences that exist within the majority, because I understand that yesterday Salvini was here and he said very different things from those of President Meloni. We continue to do our part on foreign policy with the entire progressive alliance".
"Here in the meeting of European socialists, where the President of the European Council Antonio Costa was also present, I returned to ask that Europe express a single European negotiator, that is, a voice that can speak on behalf of the 27 member states", explained the Dem secretary in response to a question on her position on the hypothesis of Antonio Costa as the EU's sole negotiator on the war in Ukraine. "It's not up to me to say who - he added - my hope is that this issue will also be addressed at today's Council, even if it is not on the official agenda. It is incredible that the European Union has not yet held a discussion to identify a single negotiator".
On energy, he remarked, "it is difficult to blame the ETS because it is present throughout Europe, yet in Spain, Germany and France the bills are much lower than ours. So we insist on a European energy market that can bring together the forces of the member states".
Schlein explained that the topic of energy was discussed during the meeting, "because we are convinced that a European energy grid is needed to reduce costs for citizens and businesses by 30%". In the press point at the end of the meeting, the dem secretary also invited the Italian government "to fight for a more robust and ambitious European budget and for common European investments".
Avs: 'Centre-left program table? From the next few days every date is good
When will the programmatic table meet with the rest of the center-left? "There are now few hesitations, we have arrived. I think that from the next few days every date is a good one. We will determine together with our allies, starting with Giuseppe Conte and Elly Schlein, the methods of discussion for the construction of the program, which for us must be a program that everyone must be able to read. The pensioner who goes shopping must understand that we are the alternative, not just a hope, but a concrete possibility of changing the real living conditions of millions of people". Angelo Bonelli, leader of Avs, said this during the press conference with Nicola Fratoianni.
