Waving rainbow flags with the words “peace” and “non-violence”, members of trade unions and Catholic associations, scouts, students and a range of social activists demanded an end to the conflicts and a serious international diplomatic initiative to negotiate a solution to the conflict. “Ukrainians are dying, Russians are dying, and there’s no point to it,” said Dr. Cynthia Masini, 56. “We’re sending weapons while our sons and daughters are warm and cozy in their beds, and children there are dying. It is not tolerable.” Referring to Italy’s own history of violent conflict, protester Spartaco Geppetti, 70, a member of an anti-fascist organization, called for dialogue to resolve issues between Russia and Ukraine. “We are against war and we only want peace,” he said. “This is not good for Europe or the world. They have to stop.” Other protesters waved placards with slogans such as “down the guns, raise wages”, “enough guns in Ukraine” and “we don’t want war”. No guns, no penalties. Where is the diplomacy?’ Meloni, who was sworn in as prime minister two weeks ago at the head of a new right-wing government, is a staunch supporter of the Ukrainian cause and has vowed to continue her predecessor Mario Draghi’s tough stance against Russia. But he faces resistance to further arms shipments as Italy’s economy reels from the effects of the conflict, including slowing growth and inflation that hit nearly 12 percent in October, the highest level in nearly three decades. Meloni’s own coalition partners, Matteo Salvini, the League leader, and Silvio Berlusconi, the 86-year-old former prime minister, both have past ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and have expressed ambivalence about Draghi’s hard line against of Moscow. Berlusconi recently caused a stir by telling Forza Italia lawmakers that he had recently exchanged gifts of fine alcohol and “sweet notes” with Putin, rekindling a long personal friendship. Meanwhile, Five Star leader Giuseppe Conte, who has emphasized the peace process in Rome, has also warned against further arms shipments to Kyiv. “Ukraine is now fully armed – we need a significant advance towards a ceasefire and peace negotiations,” Conte told reporters, setting off the chain of events that led to the unexpected collapse of Draghi’s government. “No one thought that Ukraine should be left alone and we did not declare ourselves indifferent or equal,” Conte said. “But this strategy only leads to escalation.” Many participants in the march echoed the concern that arming Ukraine only prolongs the destructive conflict and could lead to the use of nuclear weapons. “The drama in Ukraine should not be underestimated – the path to peace must be urgently sought,” said Andrea Riccardi, founder of the influential Catholic social organization Sant’Egidio. “The individual threat is not a phantom, but a potential threat. . . We are not neutral, but we defend peace.” Riccardi urged Putin, “out of love for his people to pull Russia out of the spiral of war” and asked [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky “to be open to serious proposals for peace.” Giovanni Timoteo, a member of the Confederation of Italian Workers, said: “I am absolutely against sending new weapons to Ukraine. Today, people want peace with guns. It’s unthinkable. Ukraine has the right to defend itself, but we need a major UN peace initiative.” But even as the heart of Rome filled with peace protesters, Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party, organized a counter-demonstration in Milan, with strong support from Italy’s large Ukrainian community. “Those who are asking for peace but also for the disarmament of Ukraine are asking for the surrender of Ukraine,” Kalenda told reporters before Milan. Among the Milan protesters, Oles Horodetskyy, president of the Ukrainian Christian Union in Italy, criticized the Rome protesters, asking “are they pro-peace or pro-Putin?” “To not give weapons to those who defend themselves from aggressors is to favor those who attack,” he added.
