Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Ukraine slams Berlusconi after anti-Zelenskyy comments

Ukraine slams Berlusconi after anti-Zelenskyy comments

New comments by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi about Russia's war in Ukraine have triggered anger in Kyiv.

"I would have never gone to speak to Zelenskyy, if I had been prime minister", he told reporters in Milan on Sunday evening, commenting on a meeting between the Ukrainian president and Italy's current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Brussels last week.

Berlusconi, 86, went on to blame Zelenskyy firectly for the "massacre of his civilians and soldiers":

"If only he had stopped attacking the two autonomous Donbass republics, this would have never happened. I judge this gentelman's (Zelenskyy) behaviour very negatively," said Berlusconi.

Italian former Premier Silvio Berlusconi, right, and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin talk during a press conference in Gerno, Italy, April 26, 2010

On Monday, Zelenskyy's top aide Mykhailo Podolyak hit back, branding Berlusconi "a VIP agitator, who barters his Putin friendship with Italy's reputation. His words are damaging Italy", Podolyak told Italian paper La Repubblica, while Kyiv's foreign ministry accused him of "kissing Putin's bloodstained hands".

Italy's government has moved to quickly to downplay Berlusconi's comments, saying the country was giving "firm and convinced support to Ukraine".

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, an ally of Berlosconi, also commented, saying Berlusconi's party, Forza Italia, "has always supported Ukraine's independence".


This is not the first time Berlusconi's comments have forced his party members and government allies to issue clarifications.

A close ally of the Kremlin leader during his premiership, Berlusconi already caused an uproar last October when -- in a leaked recording -- he claimed that Vladimir Putin had sent him 20 bottles of vodka for his birthday, and he then reciprocated with bottles of Italian red wine.

Less than a month before, Berlusconi said Putin had invaded Ukraine to replace Zelenskyy's government with "decent people".

In that statement he even criticised the Kremlin's invasion strategy, suggesting Russia should have focused on surrounding the Urakinian capital instead of spreading out.

The comments were described as "scandalous" at the time by opposition leader Enrico Letta and received widespread national and international condemnation.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
×