ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on Friday said Rome will boost support for the Peshmerga, calling the Kurdistan Region “key and fundamental” for regional stability and peace. Crosetto made the remarks in an interview with Rudaw on Friday before meeting Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani at the Munich Security Council, where Crosetto praised Italy and the Kurdistan Region’s “historic and longstanding cooperation.” He said Italy considers the region’s security a priority, including “protecting and developing its armed forces - and increasing our cooperation because we know the Kurdistan Region is a key and fundamental actor in that region for establishing stability and peace.” In a statement issued by the Kurdistan Region president’s office after the meeting with Crossetto, Barzani thanked Italy for its support including training the region’s Peshmerga forces. Crossetto reaffirmed Rome’s commitment to continuing support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and praised the Peshmerga’s role in defeating terrorism, the statement said. Asked whether Europe still considers ISIS a threat, Crosetto said: “Absolutely yes, it is still a great and powerful danger, especially after what happened in Syria and in Syria's prisons.” Crosetto also addressed Italy’s position on protecting Kurds in northeast Syria (Rojava) after Syrian government forces and affiliated armed groups seized northern Syrian areas held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, triggering a humanitarian crisis. “Italy makes a very great effort to defend Kurds in Syria,” he said. “We have, from the very beginning, called for them to be protected, their security guaranteed, and the attacks stopped.” The SDF and the Syrian government announced an internationally brokered agreement in January, including a ceasefire and integrating Rojava’s civil and military institutions under the central government. Kurdistan Region leaders, including President Masoud Barzani and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, have played a mediating role in efforts to support negotiations between the SDF and Damascus. President Masoud Barzani met Crosetto in Italy in mid-January during a visit to the Vatican, where he said discussions focused on “the situation in Rojava and all related developments,” stressing that the Italian side was “fully aware of the situation.” “We are all striving to stop the war and prevent the people of Kurdistan from suffering and being subjected to attacks,” Barzani said at the time.
