Italy’s ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has once again cast doubt on the future government’s determination to act against the Kremlin on Ukraine, with a new leaked audio exposing statements made in confidence on Vladimir Putin.
The LaPresse news agency published a covert speech made by Berlusconi to other members of his party Forza Italia on Tuesday evening.
The 86-year-old is heard in the audio saying that he is back in contact with the Russian president. His party had previously denied any statements, but after the release of the recording, it specified that Berlusconi is still aligned with Europe and the US.
“I have re-established relations with President Putin, a bit much, so that he sent me 20 bottles of vodka for my birthday with a very sweet letter,” he said. Berlusconi said he had sent Putin Italian wine and an “equally sweet letter,” while also claiming Putin called the Italian "one of his five true friends.”
"The Russian ministers," the Forza Italia leader continued in the recording, "have already said on several occasions that we are at war with them because we supply arms and funding to Ukraine. I cannot personally give my opinion because if it is told to the press a disaster will come out, but I am very, very worried."
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Forza Italia is part of the right-wing coalition that won the September election alongside the far-right and will form the new government, . Many Italians but also Ukrainians are concerned about Italy’s support for Kyiv against Russia once the new government of election winner Giorgia Meloni of the far-right Fratelli d’Italia takes power.
Berlusconi stated a few weeks ago that Putin had been forced into his offensive. His confidants dismissed the statements about the mutual gifts as “old tales."
In the recording, however, Berlusconi speaks explicitly about the Russian war in Ukraine. According to him, the West has been participating in this for a long time “because we give Ukraine weapons and money.”.
Ahead of the elections in September, Berlusconi caused another controversy by going on a pro-Russia rant about Ukraine.
Speaking on prime-time TV, Berlusconi claimed that Putin was pushed by the Russian people to invade over the Donbas "situation" and had actually been forced to carry out the "special operation." He even went as far as endorsing regime change to “replace Zelenskyy’s government with good people."
