"I can only reiterate the position, which is not only mine, but also the Italian government's, which is to support the Ukrainian people and its defense and to disagree with the use of weapons sent to Ukraine for defense on Russian territory," Salvini said when asked by Sputnik whether the new version of the doctrine would serve as a warning to the West, which provides military support to Kiev.
Salvini, who also serves as minister of transport and infrastructure, said Italy is developing the nuclear industry for civilian purposes.
"I don't want to think from afar about the use of nuclear energy in the military sense. This would be the beginning of the end. The position of the Italian government and, I think, most European countries is quite clear: it is the hope for an end to the conflict in the very near future," he said at a press conference in Rome.
On September 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed discussing the issue of updating the principles of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence at a meeting of the Russian Security Council. Putin said Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression, including if the enemy, using conventional weapons, creates a critical threat to sovereignty. He also said Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Belarus.