Italy will not send troops to Ukraine: Foreign minister

Italy said Monday that it will not send its soldiers to fight in Ukraine amid reports of Anglo-French plans to deploy troops to the country, Italian media reported.

"We help Kyiv politically, financially and militarily by sending aid, but we will not send soldiers to fight in Ukraine," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in the town of Fiuggi, according to the state-run ANSA news agency.

Tajani also warned Russia against escalating the war in Ukraine by enlisting foreign troops and mercenaries.

"We must avoid escalation. Russia is taking on a serious responsibility by involving North Korean soldiers in the war and recruiting Houthis and Iranian proxies," he said.

Earlier Monday, the French newspaper Le Monde reported that discussions over sending Western troops to Ukraine have been revived.

Citing a British military source, the daily said Paris and London are discussing defense cooperation, particularly with a view to creating a hard core of allies in Europe focused on Ukraine and wider European security.

On Nov. 23, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said "Western allies should not put any limits on support for Ukraine against Russia and "not set and express red lines," in an interview with BBC.

Asked whether this could even mean French troops on the battleground, he said: "We do not discard any option."

Russia dismissed the reports, however, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying "there is no unanimity of opinion among Europeans on this matter, but of course, some hotheads appear."