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Italy's Salvini Doesn't Rule Out EU Veto on Russia Sanctions

by Associated Press

   MOSCOW --

   Italy's populist government is hoping to convince the European Union to
   lift sanctions against Russia but won't rule out using its veto if
   diplomacy fails.
   Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Italy planned to use
   "good manners, the art of diplomacy, numbers and evidence" to persuade
   other countries that EU sanctions against Russia were hurting Europe as
   a whole.
   The EU sanctions were extended for another six months last week.
   Speaking Monday in Moscow, Salvini said vetoing a further extension of
   sanctions "doesn't scare us." He said: "I don't exclude anything."
   Italy has vowed to relax sanctions against Russia, which it says has
   hurt the Italian economy through decreased tourism and exports. Salvini
   said Monday the Italian economy was losing 7 million euros ($8.2
   million) a day due to the sanctions.