Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto Urges Ongoing Support for Ukraine

In a hearing before Italy’s joint defence committees, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto warned that a purely military solution to the war in Ukraine is unlikely to succeed in the long term. He noted that, at current operational tempos, Russia could need up to ten years to dominate the Donbass region and several decades to capture the rest of Ukraine, with potential Russian casualties of at least 2.5 million in Donbass alone. Crosetto stressed that Europe must continue to back Ukraine’s defence effort alongside political and diplomatic initiatives, citing the conflict’s extensive human, financial, energy and security costs.

An analysis by the European Youth Think‑Tank echoed the war’s attritional nature, arguing that Europe’s economic resilience is now a strategic priority. The study found the conflict depresses growth and raises inflation across the continent, especially in countries closest to the fighting, while labor‑market impacts vary. It also warned that prolonged hostilities redistribute costs and benefits globally, benefiting some major economies such as the United States and China while straining European competitiveness.