Rome summons Russian ambassador over insults against Meloni

Pallade Veneta - Rome summons Russian ambassador over insults against Meloni

CULTURE 22.04.2026

Rome summons Russian ambassador over insults against Meloni / Photo: Tom Nicholson - POOL/AFP

Italy has summoned Russia's ambassador in Rome after a Russian television presenter delivered a stream of insults against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday.

Change text size:

According to Italian media, presenter Vladimir Solovyov said in Italian on Russian television that Meloni was a "disgrace to the human race", a "wild beast", a "certified idiot", and a "nasty little woman".

Then, switching to Russian, he said that "this Meloni is a fascist creature who betrayed her electors," adding that "she even betrayed (US President Donald) Trump."

Tajani posted on X that he had "summoned the Russian Ambassador, Alexey Paramonov, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally protest the extremely serious and offensive remarks made by TV host Vladimir Solovyov on Russian television against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni".

Even opposition parties in Italy condemned the comments from the Russian presenter.

Later, Meloni posted on X that "these caricatures certainly won't make us change course," adding that "our compass remains one and only: the interest of Italy. And we will continue to follow it with pride, much to the chagrin of propagandists far and wide."

Relations between Rome and Moscow have been tense because of Meloni's strong support for Ukraine, while her once friendly relations with Trump have worsened since she defended Pope Leo XIV against the US president's verbal attacks.

B.Fortunato--PV

Jersey Boys Anniversary Tour Opens in Birmingham With Gritty Account of Crime and Fame

The 20th-anniversary tour of Jersey Boys has opened at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre, offering a gritty and unvarnished look at the Four Seasons’ journey. The production details the band's turbulent rise from New Jersey petty criminals to international rock stars, highlighting the complex personal costs behind their musical success.

UBC professor describes police call after Galloway remark as act of care

VANCOUVER — A University of British Columbia professor has testified about a colleague’s decision to call police to visit Steven Galloway after he was accused of sexual assault, describing it as an “act of care” toward the author, who had spoken of killing himself. Galloway, who is suing his accuser and others in a defamation trial centred on the unproven allegations, has described his subsequent committal to a hospital in the United States as “terrifying.

Pallade Veneta - Rome summons Russian ambassador over insults against Meloni