Italy will not veto sanctions on Russian gas: Foreign minister

ANKARA

In the wake of recent shocking footage in the aftermath of a Russian withdrawal, Rome will not veto sanctions on Russian gas, local media reported on Monday.

"Italy will not place vetoes on sanctions against Russian gas," said Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio following a meeting with his colleagues from Croatia and Slovenia in the Croatian capital Zagreb, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Commenting on images of mass deaths from the Ukrainian city of Bucha, near the capital Kyiv, Di Maio said that this shows that the war is not over, but rather its intensity and brutality continues to grow.

He added that Italy will provide all necessary support to the International Criminal Court through the EU to reveal the perpetrators of the crimes against civilians in Bucha.

Reiterating that Italy condemns Russia's war on Ukraine, Di Maio said it should end as soon as possible.

The Russian war against Ukraine, which started on Feb. 24, has met international outrage, with the European Union, US, and UK among others implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,430 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 2,097 injured, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be far higher.

More than 4.21 million Ukrainians have also fled to other countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.