“If I had the chance I would have tea with him, he did a lot for relations between Italy and Russia”

Vladimir Putinduring the press conference at the end of the year, mentioned his late friend Silvio Berlusconi among the past leaders with whom he would take a cup of tea if he had the chance. Together with the Knight he nominated the former German chancellor, Helmut Kohl, and the former French president, Jacques Chirac.

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Putin on Italy in the end-of-year conference

On the one hand the attacks by the Foreign Ministry on the government of Rome, accused of “Russophobia”, on the other the ancient love for Italy that still lingers in many Russians.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, bilateral relations have been on this difficult balance, of which Vladimir Putin has once again become the spokesperson.

«Despite what happens now, we perceive in the Italian society a certain sympathy for Russia, just as we have it for Italy», declared the head of the Kremlin during the end-of-year press conference.

And a reference to Silvio Berlusconi and their relationships, not only political but also personal, could not be missing. When asked who he would sit for tea with among the missing politicians, the president the Cavaliere himself quotedalong with the late German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and former French President Jacques Chirac.

Berlusconi was “leader and friend”

The knight is among the «leaders from whom I learned a lot», said the Russian president. Making it clear that a special place in his heart is always reserved for Berlusconiwho on the occasion of his death last year, he had defined as “a dear friend”, speaking of an “irreparable loss”.

Il Cavaliere was a person «very warm in his relationships, very industrious, very tenacious», said the head of the Kremlin in front of the audience of journalists and Russian citizens representing different regions who attended the press conference. In addition to being, he added, a politician who «he did a lot for the development of relations between Italy and Russia».

Times have changed, and consequently the official tones. Two months ago the Foreign Ministry denounced the “Russophobic” policies of the Italian authorities, who had denied visas to the Russian delegation that was due to participate in the 75th International Astronautical Congress in Milan. And already in January 2023, Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov had expressed “surprise” in “seeing Italy become one of the leaders in the anti-Russian front”. But Putin has always used different words. “In Italy – for example, the head of the Kremlin said last June during a meeting with representatives of international press agencies – caveman Russophobia is not spreading, and we take this into consideration”. “We hope that when the situation regarding Ukraine begins to stabilize, we will be able to re-establish relations with Italy perhaps even faster than with some other countries,” the tsar added.