Italy has summoned Russia’s ambassador in Rome after a Russian tv presenter delivered a stream of insults in opposition to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated Tuesday.
According to Italian media, presenter Vladimir Solovyov stated in Italian on Russian tv that Meloni was a “disgrace to the human race”, a “wild beast”, a “certified idiot” and a “nasty little woman”.
Then, switching to Russian, he stated that “this Meloni is a fascist creature who betrayed her electors,” including that “she even betrayed (US President Donald) Trump”.
Tajani posted on X that he had “summoned the Russian Ambassador, Alexey Paramonov, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally protest the extremely serious and offensive remarks made by TV host Vladimir Solovyov on Russian television against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni”.
Even opposition events in Italy condemned the feedback from the Russian presenter.
Later, Meloni posted on X that “these caricatures certainly won’t make us change course”, including that “our compass remains one and only: the interest of Italy. And we will continue to follow it with pride, much to the chagrin of propagandists far and wide.”
Relations between Rome and Moscow have been tense due to Meloni’s sturdy help for Ukraine, whereas her as soon as pleasant relations with Trump have worsened since she defended Pope Leo XIV in opposition to the US president’s verbal assaults.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260422-italy-summons-russian-ambassador-after-tv-host-s-insults-toward-meloni