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Berlusconi in fresh row over Putin ties following leaked audio

Italian ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi was under fresh scrutiny on Wednesday over his friendship with Vladimir Putin after being recorded describing a birthday present of vodka from the Russian leader and expressing concerns about arming Ukraine.

Published: 19 October 2022 17:24 CEST
Silvio Berlusconi was recorded describing how he had rekindled ties with Putin.
Silvio Berlusconi was recorded describing how he had rekindled ties with Putin. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP.

Aides insisted he had been misrepresented but the row risks embarrassing Berlusconi’s coalition allies, led by far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, as they prepare to form a new government following last month’s elections.

Meloni strongly supports Ukraine and EU sanctions on Russia, but both Berlusconi and her other coalition ally, League leader Matteo Salvini, have both long had warm ties with Moscow.

“Meloni hostage of pro-Russians,” headlined Wednesday’s La Repubblica newspaper, while other reports described her private outrage at what is only the latest gaffe from the billionaire media mogul.

A recording emerged late Tuesday of Berlusconi recounting how he had rekindled ties with President Putin, an old friend.

READ ALSO: Outcry in Italy after Berlusconi defends Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

Italian online news agency LaPresse said the comments came during a meeting of his Forza Italia party lawmakers this week.

“I reconnected a little bit with President Putin… for my birthday he sent me 20 bottles of vodka and a very kind letter,” he said, according to the tape published by LaPresse.

“I responded with bottles of Lambrusco (red wine) and an equally sweet letter.”

A spokesman for Berlusconi, who turned 86 last month, denied he had rekindled relations with Putin, saying Berlusconi had been telling parliamentarians an “old story relating to an episode dating back many years.”

Putin ‘person of peace’

Immediately preceding the anecdote, Berlusconi can be heard describing his concerns about sending weapons and cash to support Ukraine.

According to LaPresse, Berlusconi also described Putin as a “person of peace”, although this was not included in the audio published.

READ ALSO: Russian embassy highlights Italian political ties ahead of vote

A senior Forza Italia lawmaker, Alessandro Cattaneo, said Wednesday that Berlusconi’s comments had been taken out of context, adding: “Soundbites can be copied and pasted.”

Forza Italia also emphasised its support for the EU-US policy on Ukraine.

Berlusconi said in April he was “deeply disappointed” by Putin’s behaviour in Ukraine.

But in September, he was forced to clarify remarks suggesting the president was “pushed” into the invasion by his entourage.

A close aide to Meloni, senior Brothers of Italy lawmaker Francesco Lollobrigida, told reporters Wednesday: “We remain with the Ukrainian people and in defence of democracy in that country, but also fiercely in the Western
axis… Regarding the comments of others, you must ask others.”

READ ALSO: What role will Berlusconi play in Italy’s new government?

Talks are still ongoing on the formation of a new government, with Meloni expected to be confirmed as prime minister by the end of next week.

But the process has been rocky.

Berlusconi lost his temper in the Senate last week, later admitting “deep annoyance” in his party over coalition discussions on how to share out ministerial posts.

But he and Meloni had a meeting on Monday to clear the air, afterwards issuing a photo of the pair smiling.

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EU

Italy’s Meloni hopes EU ‘understands message’ from voters

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Saturday she hoped the European Union would understand the "message" sent by voters in last weekend's elections, after far-right parties such as hers made gains.

Published: 15 June 2024 17:33 CEST
Italy's Meloni hopes EU 'understands message' from voters

Meloni, head of the post-fascist Brothers of Italy party, which performed particularly well in the vote, urged the EU to “understand the message that has come from European citizens”.

“Because if we want to draw lessons from the vote that everything was fine, I fear it would be a slightly distorted reading,” she told a press conference at the end of a G7 summit in Puglia.

“European citizens are calling for pragmatism, they are calling for an approach that is much less ideological on several major issues,” she said.

Meloni’s right-wing government coalition has vehemently opposed the European Green Deal and wants a harder stance on migration.

“Citizens vote for a reason. It seems to me that a message has arrived, and it has arrived clearly,” she said.

EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Monday to negotiate the top jobs, including whether European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will get a second term.

Von der Leyen’s centre-right European People’s Party strengthened its grip with the vote, but her reconfirmation is not yet in the bag.

The 65-year-old conservative was in Puglia for the G7 and likely used the summit to put her case to the leaders of France, Germany and Italy.

But Meloni refused to be drawn on whom she is backing.

“We will have a meeting on Monday, we’ll see,” she told journalists.

“We will also see what the evaluations will be on the other top roles,” she said.

Italian political watchers say Meloni is expected to back von der Leyen, but is unlikely to confirm that openly until Rome locks in a deal on commissioner jobs.

“What interests me is that… Italy is recognised for the role it deserves,” she said.

“I will then make my assessments.”

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani indicated that it was unlikely any decision would be made before the French elections on June 30 and July 7.

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