ATHENS

Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli said the war in Ukraine could have been avoided diplomatically, local media reported on Monday.

“If we had followed a different policy towards Russia, we probably would have avoided the war in Ukraine,” state-run ANSA news agency quoted Cirielli as saying at a meeting on NATO’s prospects organized by the Brothers of Italy, the largest partner in the ruling right-wing coalition government.

“If you pursue an imperialist policy, the others become rigid. With others, I am referring to Russia and China,” he remarked.

However, Cirielli said this does not justify Russia's violation of international law.