Italy summons Russian ambassador over ‘Russophobe’ list naming president

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ROME (Reuters) -The Italian government said on Wednesday that it had summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against President Sergio Mattarella being included in a list compiled by Moscow of Western leaders accused of anti-Russian sentiment.

“Publishing a list of so-called ‘Russophobes’ who supposedly incite hatred against Russia is yet another propaganda operation,” said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a statement.

On July 24, the Russian Foreign Ministry released a list of what it called “hate speech” against Russia by members of Western elites in which it included a statement from Mattarella at Aix-Marseille University last February.

In his speech, the Italian president drew a parallel between Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the expansionist wars of Nazi Germany.

The Russian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“On the Italian side, in condemning the unacceptable Russian aggression against Ukraine, no intentions against the Federation or the Russian people were ever expressed,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Russian ambassador Aleksej Paramonov during the meeting, a statement said.

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

According to Meloni, Moscow broke international law by invading Ukraine and Western countries have condemned Russia.

Mattarella is the only Italian in the list, which also includes German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, the Secretary-General of NATO Mark Rutte, and the President of France Emmanuel Macron.

(Reporting by Alessia Pe’. Additional reporting by Andrew Osborn in Moscow. Editing by Sharon Singleton and Mark Potter)