Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has personally reached out to Mykhailo Fedorov — the recently dismissed Ukrainian defense minister — offering him an advisory position in Rome.
In an interview published Saturday with Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Crosetto described making the call the day after Fedorov was let go. “I called him the day after his dismissal and said: When do you want to come to Rome and work with me as an adviser?” Crosetto told the publication.
When asked how Fedorov reacted to the unexpected invitation, Crosetto said the former minister was “moved” and viewed the gesture as “a demonstration of esteem and friendship.”
Crosetto spoke highly of Fedorov’s contributions to modern warfare, describing him as “one of those people who completely rewrote the rules of the game on the battlefield.” He credited Fedorov with helping Ukraine first withstand Russia’s invasion and then shift the momentum by transforming battlefield tactics through the use of new technologies.
Fedorov, 35, built a reputation as a tech-forward reformer. Supporters credit him with significantly expanding Ukraine’s drone program and pushing through reforms in the country’s defense sector. His removal this month sparked rare public protests within Ukraine during an ongoing wartime period.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy offered Fedorov other positions within the government, but Fedorov declined, stating he would not accept any role other than his previous one as defense minister.
