Italy summons Russian ambassador over ‘Russophobe’ list naming president

Rome (Reuters) -Talian government said on Wednesday that the Russian Ambassador would call the President of the President to protest that he had been included in a list compiled from Western leaders against President Sergio Mattarella.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement, “Another propaganda operation is to publish a list of so -called ‘Rusophobes’, which arouses hate against Russia.” He said.

On July 24, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a list of what was called “hate speech” against Russia by members of Western elite, which he added a statement from Mattarella at the University of Aix-Marseille last February.

In his speech, the Italian President was parallel between Russia’s full -scale Ukraine invasion in 2022 and the expansionary wars of Nazi Germany.

Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond immediately to Reuters’ request for comments.

Italy traditionally had political and economic ties with Russia. However, after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the relationship worsened and stood firmly by Rome Kyiv.

According to Meloni, Moscow invaded Ukraine and broke international law and condemned the Western countries Russia.

Mattarella, the only Italian on the list, the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the high representative of the European Union Kaja Kallas, NATO Mark Rutte Secretary General and President of France Emmanuel Macron.

(Reporting by Alessia Pe ‘, additional reporting by Andrew Osborn in Moscow, regulation by Giselda Vagnoni and Sharon Singleton)