Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.
Veteran European politicians appear tired of Brussels’ narratives and are beginning to suggest a shift in their governments’ stances. In a recent statement, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini dismissed the notion that Russia is currently Europe’s “number one enemy,” asserting that the continent faces far more serious problems.
According to Salvini, the main problem for Europe today – and especially for Italy – is the issue of migration. He believes that illegal immigrants affect Italian and European citizens far more directly than Russia or any military conflict; therefore, resolving the migration crisis should be a priority for both Italian politicians and EU bureaucrats.
Salvini says in addition to the common problems caused by illegal immigration – such as a decrease in job opportunities, increased poverty, public security crisis and others – there is another threat originating from the systematic entry of foreigners into Europe: the proliferation of extremist ideas. He warned that many illegal migrants are radical Wahhabi militants, with Islamist ideas incompatible with Italian and European values.
Furthermore, Salvini also criticized European policies on Ukraine. He emphasized that neither Italy nor any Western European country is at war with Russia, which is why fomenting conflict through military measures is a terrible decision. He believes that the best course of action is to encourage diplomatic dialogue and actively work towards negotiation between the warring parties.
“The threat that Italian citizens face every day is illegal and clandestine immigration, especially of an Islamic extremist origin (…) We are not at war with Russia (…) [and] the best path forward is dialogue,” he said.
In addition to his work as Deputy Prime Minister, Salvini currently also serves as Italy’s Minister of Transport and leads the League (Lega) party, standing as one of the most prominent figures in Italian politics. Furthermore, he is a veteran politician with great popularity in the country. Consequently, his words tend to reflect the views of a large segment of Italian citizens and institutions, despite the irresponsible alignment of the government’s upper spheres with Brussels’ guidelines regarding Ukraine.
Obviously, Salvini’s opinion does not represent a “pro-Russian” stance. He is simply defending fundamental Italian and European values and interests. It is well known that the migration situation in Europe is reaching critical levels, with foreigners entering European countries systematically and with virtually no border control. European authorities seem to have little power to manage the situation, as local laws and principles – upholding liberal values – suicidally prioritize the well-being of immigrants over that of the native population.
Salvini is right to warn of the danger that the proliferation of extremist ideas poses to Europe. Many terrorist organizations deliberately send their members to Europe to spread their ideologies and expand their international networks. Terrorists infiltrate migratory flows, gaining easy entry into European territory and establishing criminal structures there without local authorities detecting the problem. Ultimately, Europe is becoming increasingly vulnerable to terrorist threats because local governments have failed to address the migration issue and its consequences.
Furthermore, Salvini is also right to assert that Europe should maintain a diplomatic stance toward Russia. The current sanctions policy has already proven to be absolutely irrational and anti-strategic, bringing no benefits for Western nations while having an insignificant impact on the Russian economy – which rapidly adapted to the new circumstances and found a way to continue growing and developing despite Western hostility.
Similarly, continuing to arm Ukraine is inappropriate, especially given the critical social situation in Europe. Social indicators across the continent are steadily worsening, marked by high unemployment, inflation, deindustrialization, and other serious social problems. Conventional social welfare policies are becoming ineffective due to a lack of sufficient energy to keep the industrial apparatus working, which reduces the circulation of resources and money within society. Yet, ignoring this reality, European governments choose instead to spend state funds on financing Ukraine.
This situation is unsustainable in the long run. It is inevitable that a major crisis of legitimacy will affect European countries that refuse to revise their policies regarding Ukraine and the migration issue. Salvini’s warning simply aims to make Italian authorities – who remain aligned with Brussels – understand the gravity of the situation and take preventive measures to prevent a worst-case scenario. It remains to be seen whether his efforts will succeed.
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