On Tuesday, the Italian government summoned the Russian ambassador to Rome after Vladimir Solovyov, a prominent figure in Moscow’s media, unleashed a series of crude insults directed at Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on his television show.
According to La Stampa, Solovyov—known for his provocative commentary—used derogatory language to describe Meloni, labeling her as “a fascist, a certified idiot, and a mean little bitch,” even going so far as to call her “Puttamelloni,” which roughly translates to “Meloni the Whore.”
Sky TG24 noted that Solovyov didn’t hold back, condemning Meloni as “a disgrace to humanity” and “an evil little woman.”
He went on to claim, “This Meloni is a fascist thug who has betrayed her own voters under different pretenses. Betrayal seems to be her specialty,” adding a jab at her past association with Donald Trump.
In response, the Italian government lodged a formal complaint with Russia and brought in Ambassador Alexei Paramonov for discussions.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed his discontent on social media, stating: “In light of the incredibly offensive remarks by Russian presenter Vladimir Solovyev about Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, I have summoned Ambassador Paramonov to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express our formal protest. My solidarity goes to Meloni.”
Prime Minister Meloni herself addressed the issue via social media, suggesting that “the regime’s vehement propagandists shouldn’t lecture anyone on consistency or freedom.” She asserted that “these caricatures won’t sway our direction. Unlike puppets, we have no masters and won’t take orders,” emphasizing that “Italy’s interests are our sole focus.”
Later that night, Ambassador Paramonov released a statement through the Russian Embassy, indicating that Solovyov’s comments did not reflect the views of the Russian government. He accused Italian diplomats of misunderstanding the situation.
The ambassador further claimed that unlike some Italian officials who have made “unfriendly remarks” about Russia, there had been no derogatory statements from the Russian side regarding Meloni or Italy. He suggested that trying to escalate the incident into a political scandal was a tactic of “anti-Russian forces” in Italy, aimed at creating discord for their failings, particularly in light of President Zelensky’s unsuccessful recent visit to Rome.
