Italy summons Russian ambassador over insults at Meloni

ROME — Italy has summoned the Russian ambassador in Rome after pro-Kremlin television host delivered a stream of insults against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday. “I had the Russian Russian Ambassador, Alexey Paramonov, summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express formal protests following the extremely serious and offensive remarks ⁠made by the host Vladimir Solovyev on Russian television,” Tajani said on X. According to Italian media, presenter Vladimir Solovyov said in Italian on Russian television 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 added: “Meloni is fascist scum who betrayed her voters, having campaigned on completely different slogans. Betrayal is her middle name: she also ‌betrayed (US ⁠President Donald) Trump, to whom she had previously sworn allegiance.” Meloni leads a right-wing government that has provided military and civilian aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, but her ⁠coalition includes the League party, which has had close ties with the Kremlin. Even opposition parties in Italy condemned the comments by the Russian presenter. Leader of the opposition Five Star Movement Giuseppe Conte slammed the insults as “unspeakable,” while Mariastella Gelmini of the Us Moderates (Noi Moderati) party called the remarks unacceptable. “A Russian TV presenter, a spokesman for the Kremlin position, made unacceptable sexist accusations against Giorgia Meloni. Once again, we would like to remind the Russian regime that those who insult the representatives of Italian institutions offend the entire country and we do not accept this,” secretary of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, said. Barbara Floridia, the president of the Rai supervisory commission, stressed that personal insults aren’t a legitimate instrument of political criticism and that Italy will not be intimidated by Russian propaganda. Relations between Rome and Moscow have been tense because of Meloni’s strong support for Ukraine, while Meloni’s once friendly relations with President Trump have worsened since she defended Pope Leo XIV against the US president’s verbal attacks. Last week, Trump launched a stinging criticism of Meloni, one of his main European allies, over her unwillingness to join the Iran war. “I’m shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,” he said in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera. “She’s unacceptable because she doesn’t mind that Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if they had the chance.” — Agencies