Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani said that Europe must take part in any agreement on Ukraine, since it will be responsible for lifting its own sanctions against Russia. According to him, a peace settlement cannot be reached without European involvement, as the EU was the party that imposed the restrictions in the first place and therefore must also remove them as part of the agreement.

As reported by askanews, Tajani stressed that Europe’s role is essential because sanctions relief would be a key element of the peace process. On Tuesday, the minister is scheduled to attend the Italy-Saudi Arabia business forum in Riyadh, which brings together more than 900 companies.

Tajani added that Italy supports the U.S. plan for a Ukraine settlement, though he believes the proposal needs revision. He described the plan as a starting point and said talks with Ukrainian representatives appear to be moving in the right direction.

Earlier, the U.S. administration stated that work on the peace plan is still ongoing and that Washington would not yet discuss details. The Kremlin, in turn, said that Russia remains open to negotiations and continues to operate within the framework of the discussions held in Anchorage.