While it is a common objective to stabilize energy prices, the United States' agreement on Russian diesel may have the opposite effect: it could legitimize Moscow, bolster the resources it employs to finance the conflict in Ukraine, and reduce the impact of Western sanctions. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni articulated this stance in her correspondence with the Senate prior to the European Council on October 15 and 16. The prime minister described the initiative as "a very risky choice", questioning whether it could actually help to reduce fuel costs. "The outcome of this choice is doubtful, while the risks are clear", she said, pointing out that the rise in fuel costs is "primarily caused by the war in Iran, not the conflict in Ukraine". A potential opening to Russian supplies, she noted, might translate into "legitimacy for Moscow", additional funding to support the war, and "an implicit weakening of sanctions leverage". According to the Prime Minister, this position risks contradicting the West's intentions toward the Kremlin.