The calls for stopping military aid to Ukraine and forcing it to the negotiating table are an attempt by the Italian politician to show his loyalty to the dictator, according to the ministry.
The words of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are unacceptable. This was commented on February 13 by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko on Facebook, about the Italian politician’s attack following the head of state’s visit to the EU and the UK.
Zelensky’s EU and UK visit – Statement from Silvio Berlusconi
Commenting on Vladimir Zelensky’s official European trip, 86-year-old politician Silvio Berlusconi said he would never have negotiated with the President of Ukraine if he had served as Prime Minister of Italy. In his opinion, a full-scale invasion of the Russian Armed Forces would not have taken place if “the Ukrainian leader had stopped the attacks on Donbass.”
Berlusconi said, “I would never go to meet with Zelenskiy because we are witnessing the devastation of his country, the massacre of soldiers and civilians. Therefore, I evaluate this gentleman’s behavior very, very negatively.” Suspend military aid to Kiev to force Kiev to sit at the negotiating table with Russia.
The 86-year-old politician’s statement drew reactions in the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni. The ministry stressed that the Italian government’s support for Ukraine is “definite and credible, as clearly stated in the program and confirmed by all parliamentary majority votes”.
Zelensky’s EU and UK visit – Foreign Ministry’s reaction to Silvio Berlusconi’s statement
Commenting on the words of the 86-year-old Italian politician, ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko recalled the situation from 2010 when he worked at the Ukrainian Embassy in Libya. According to him, Silvio Berlusconi flew to meet Muammar Gaddafi, who kissed the hands of the Libyan dictator, who was trying to show his loyalty during an official event.
Nikolenko claims that the former prime minister’s current attack on President Volodymyr Zelensky was “an attempt to kiss Vladimir Putin’s bloody hands up to the elbow.”
“These are attempts to show their loyalty to the Russian dictator. At the same time, the Italian politician should be aware that by spreading Russian propaganda, he encourages Russia to continue its crimes against Ukraine, and therefore bears political and moral responsibility.” The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued.
Nikolenko separately thanked Italy’s current Prime Minister, Giorgi Meloni, for his quick response to Silvio Berlusconi’s words.
Note that a few days ago, Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni criticized Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to France. According to the politician, it was “inappropriate” to invite the President of Ukraine to Paris to meet with Emmanuel Macron, and such a trip could “harm the cause”.
It was also reported that in November 2022, Silvio Berlusconi announced that he was ready to act as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia and noted that he could bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to resolve an all-out war.
Source: Focus
Bridger is a political journalist at 24 News Breaker, covering the Politics section with over 5 years of experience. Known for their detail-oriented reporting, Bridger delivers insightful and engaging analysis on political issues.