© Reuters
Italy's former Prime Minister Mario Monti
Italy's former Prime Minister Mario Monti
Recently speaking on private Italian broadcaster LA7, Monti warned that there was a definite risk of the conflict in Ukraine spilling over.
"For now it's a limited war, but be careful, you [advocates of arming Ukraine] are creating among Europeans a climate of mistrust and mutual misunderstanding that could take us too far," he said.
When asked how he felt about Washington's recent proposal that it could send defensive lethal arms to the Ukrainian military, including anti-tank and anti-mortar systems, Monti said he believed such a move would prove "intolerable" to Russia.
"I believe that the United States does not always realize that Europe has its problems, and cannot be seen only as a tool of the global interests of the United States," he said.
Monti also noted how the West had to make a choice in its decision to break with Russia, noting that it might be forced to pay a high cost while losing an ally "in containing terrorism."
Long viewed as a technocratic leader and Brussels insider, Monti, who took over the reins from Silvio Berlusconi in 2011, has been a perennial voice of moderation in Europe.
Comment: There are some sane voices in Europe. Aside from Le Pen, none of them are currently in office, which should be telling in itself. Those in office should heed the words of advice coming from the former diplomats who are more willing to speak their minds about the reality behind the current drive to war with Russia, which is that such a situation will not benefit Europe, but rather be incredibly detrimental.