Speaking alongside Germany’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Sergio Mattarella warned against the rise of political populism and said peace in Ukraine didn’t have to mean submission.
Italian president Sergio Mattarella has hailed the “great relationship” between Rome and Berlin on a three-day state visit to Germany.
Speaking at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, the official residence of Germany’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Mattarella said, “We need a stronger and more united EU to respond to international challenges.”
“Germany for Italy is not only a co-founder country of the Union, an ally in NATO, but it is an indispensable partner in every aspect of co-existence and relations,” he said.
“We want to celebrate this friendship together, strengthen it and preserve it. And I would like to assure you, the friendship between our two countries is not only necessary, it is not only sensible, but it is also a matter close to our hearts,” said Steinmeier.
Mattarella also warned against the dangers of populism and, speaking about ways to end the war in Ukraine, said that peace shouldn’t mean submission.
“We are looking for a conclusion to this reckless Russian adventure against Ukraine but peace doesn’t mean submission and the abandonment of the principles of dignity of each state and of international law,” he added.
Mattarella arrived in Germany on Thursday evening with his daughter Laura. On Friday evening, he held talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin where the pair discussed a range of European issues, according to a statement issued by the Chancellery.
The itinerary published on the German presidential website said that on Saturday Mattarella and Steinmeier will head south to Cologne and Bonn where they will visit the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat in Bonn and attend a conference on the cooperation between Germany and Italy in the fight against climate change.
Marzabotto massacre
On Sunday, both presidents will head to Italy to attend a service to mark the 80th anniversary of the worst atrocity committed against civilians by the Nazis.
From 29 September to 5 October, 1944, Waffen SS troops killed at least 770 Italian civilians in the northern village of Marzabotto, around 27km south of Bologna.
It was the largest massacre of civilians committed by the Waffen SS in western Europe during the war and remains the deadliest mass shooting in Italy’s history.
Mattarella said he would attend the commemoration with “deep humility”.
“I am grateful that we will go together with the Italian president to Marzabotto on Sunday and participate in the commemoration of the victims”, said Stenimeier.
“The Marzabotto massacre is one of the many crimes of the SS and Wehrmacht committed in Italy. Crimes that, as we know, left deep wounds in Italy.”
