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http://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-prime-minister-renzi-calls-for-russia-to-be-part-of-solution-to-syria-crisis-1443550552

WORLD | EUROPE

Italy Prime Minister Renzi Calls for

Russia to Be Part of Solution to Syria
Crisis
In interview, leader criticizes Eastern European countries resistance to robust migrant
solution

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, said it was impossible to achieve peace in
Syria without Russias involvement. PHOTO: JOE FORNABAIO/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

By DEBORAH BALL
Updated Sept. 29, 2015 2:41 p.m. ET
NEW YORKItalian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called for Russia to be involved in any
solution to the crisis in Syria and criticized resistance from Eastern European countries
to a robust, European Union-wide solution to the spiraling migrants crisis.
A day after President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin clashed over
how to resolve the crisis in Syria, Mr. Renzi argued in an interview with The Wall Street
Journal on Tuesday that Russia is critical to the success of any solution to the conflict
there.
It is impossible to achieve peace without Russia involved, he said. It would be an
incredible mistake to exclude Russia from talks on a solution.

His
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comments were the latest in a string of reactions from European leaders to the question
of Russias role in the Syrian crisis after the country stepped up its military involvement
in the region. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal earlier this week, U.K. Prime
Minister David Cameron said he was open to cooperation with Russia to defeat Islamic
State forces in the area, but rejected the idea of backing Syrian president Bashar alAssad.
Mr. Renzi also addressed concerns voiced by some European leaders that Italy would
seek Russias involvement because of its close economic ties to the country, particularly
in the area of energy.
Instead, the 40-year-old prime minister said Russia is key to any permanent resolution
of the Syrian crisis that will ensure long-term stability in the country, drawing a parallel
to the chaos that has engulfed Libya in recent years.

If we decide [to intervene] without a strategy for the future, we destroy a

country.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi

If we decide [to intervene] without a strategy for the future, we destroy a country, he
said. My [worry] is not creating a new Libya.
The premier also addressed the fierce debate over a common EU plan to tackle the crisis

of migrants pouring into the continent. Last week, Brussels overcame bitter objections
from Eastern European members to push through a plan to relocate 120,000 migrants
around the continent.
Political leaders and migration experts say the plan is insufficient to cope with the huge
flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa pouring into Europe. Italy has seen
131,000 arrivals by sea so far this year, with another 382,000 arriving in Greece.
Eastern European leaders, particularly Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban,
fiercely oppose the redistribution effort, arguing the EU should focus on stemming the
flow of people coming into the region rather than resettling them in Europe. Italy and
Greece have pushed hard for an expanded resettlement plan as a key component to a
broader, unified EU response to the crisis.
Hungary is building a wall to keep the migrants out, while some Eastern European
countries have said they will accept no more than hundreds of migrants.
Mr. Renzi was blunt in criticizing Eastern European countries who have received much
EU aid over the yearsmoney contributed by rich countries such as Italyand who now
resist participating in an EU-wide solution to the spiraling crisis.
If you think about single members state who wont accept 300 people after all the euros
[they have received from the EU] to save their countries, I think this is immoral, said
the prime minister.
Write to Deborah Ball at deborah.ball@wsj.com

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