Angela Giuffrida
Ukraine has accused Silvio Berlusconi of “kissing Putin’s bloody hands” after Italy’s three-time former prime minister blamed Volodymyr Zelenskiy for Russia’s invasion of the country.
In comments that unleashed a wave of criticism, Berlusconi said that if he was leading the Italian government now, he would not seek a meeting with Zelenskiy, arguing that if the Ukrainian president had “stopped attacking the two autonomous republics of the Donbas” then “this would not have happened”.
“We are witnessing the devastation of his country and the slaughter of its soldiers and civilians,” said Berlusconi, who during his time as prime minister nurtured close relations with Vladimir Putin. “I judge this gentleman’s behaviour very, very negatively.”
Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi at an airport in Rome in July 2019. Photograph: Sputnik/Reuters
Berlusconi, whose Forza Italia party is part of a coalition led by the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, urged the US to step in with funds to rebuild Ukraine on condition that Zelenskiy orders an immediate ceasefire.
Meloni’s office swiftly released a statement after Berlusconi’s comments reiterating her government’s firm support for Ukraine.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskiy, told La Repubblica that Berlusconi’s words were “damaging to Italy”. “Berlusconi is a VIP agitator who acts within the framework of Russian propaganda, he trades Italy’s reputation for his friendship with Putin,” he said, adding:
Throw off the mask and say publicly that you are in favour of the genocide of the Ukrainian people.
Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian foreign ministry, wrote on Facebook: “Berlusconi’s senseless accusations against Zelenskiy are an attempt to kiss Putin’s hands, bloodied up to the elbows.”
Stoltenberg says there is “no sign whatsoever” that Vladimir Putin is preparing for peace, and that the Russian leader still wants to control Ukraine.
He declines to speculate on what Moscow plans to do to mark the anniversary of its invasion on 24 February, but says “more important is that they are sending more troops, more weapons, more capabilities” to fight in Ukraine.
He adds that Ukraine’s defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov, will join the Nato meeting on Tuesday, and together they will “address Ukraine’s urgent needs”.