Moscow: Russia has strongly condemned remarks made by Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella, who compared Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine to Nazi Germany’s aggression during World War II. The comments have further strained the relationship between Rome and Moscow.
In a statement on Sunday, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry, emphasized that Mattarella’s words would not go unchallenged, warning that the comments “cannot and will never be left without consequences.”
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, standing firm in support of Mattarella, condemned Russia’s reaction, stating that Moscow had “offended the entire Italian nation” with its comments. The Italian president had criticized the “wars of aggression” that led to World War II, drawing a comparison between Nazi Germany’s territorial ambitions and Russia’s actions in Ukraine. “The current Russian aggression against Ukraine is of this nature,” Mattarella said in his speech last week.
Zakharova responded sharply, denouncing Mattarella’s remarks as “outrageous blatantly false historical parallels.” She accused Italy, alongside other NATO nations, of supplying Ukraine with modern weaponry to support its defense against Russian forces, calling Ukraine’s government a “terrorist Kyiv neo-Nazi regime.”
Further fueling tensions, Zakharova reminded Italy that it was the birthplace of fascism, referencing Benito Mussolini’s regime, which allied with Nazi Germany. “Unfortunately, Italy was the country where fascism originated,” she stated, highlighting the historical context.
The response from Italy’s politicians, however, was swift and resolute in defending Mattarella. Meloni voiced strong criticism of Russia’s statements, asserting that they were an insult to Italy’s entire population.
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Italy’s historical relationship with Russia had been warm, especially during the tenure of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who shared a close personal bond with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Italy has pivoted, offering firm support to Kyiv, albeit refusing to allow weapons to be used beyond Ukrainian borders.
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The rift between Italy and Russia underscores the deepening divisions in Europe over how to respond to the war in Ukraine, with Italy aligning itself with NATO’s support for Ukraine while navigating its complex historical ties to Russia.
