Russia’s Trojan Horse in Europe? Italy and the War in Georgia

Abstract

Georgia launched a large-scale attack to retake control of South Ossetia, an enclave in the northern part of its territory that had been trying to break away formally since the late 1980s. In response, Russia bombed not only military but also civilian targets, claiming that its intervention was meant to protect Russian citizens. This quick escalation of events raised concerns about other unresolved conflicts in the South Caucasus. In fact, within a few days, Russian troops took control of South Ossetia and were ready to start a second front in Abkhazia, another separatist area within Georgia.Various world leaders and international organizations tried to find a solution to end the war. The UN Security Council met on a number of occasions, but failed to adopt a resolution. One of the most decisive actors was the European Union (EU), which, under the leadership of the French presidency, first managed to get a ceasefire and then applied soft sanctions on Russia that eventually led Russia to withdraw from the Georgian territory. As in other cases, the EU was divided. On one side, a group of member states in Central and Eastern Europe, together with the United Kingdom and Sweden, wanted the EU to take a tough stance against Russia. On the other side, a group of member states in Western Europe promoted a conciliatory approach with a view to avoid antagonizing Russia. Italy was in this group, but its position was seen as too close to Russia's claims. Nevertheless, in spite of the significant divergences among its member states, the Notes for this chapter begin on page 149.