Russia has summoned Italy’s ambassador following controversial remarks made against Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by a Russian state TV presenter, according to foreign media reports.
Italian media reported that Russian television host Vladimir Solovyov made highly offensive comments during a broadcast, describing Prime Minister Meloni as a “disgrace to humanity.” He further used insulting language, calling her a “wild animal” and a “rude and lowly woman,” while accusing her of betraying voters and even misleading US President Donald Trump.
In response, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on social media platform X that Russia’s ambassador Alexey Paramonov was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in protest over the remarks.
Tajani said the comments made by the Russian presenter were “extremely serious and offensive” and unacceptable in diplomatic relations.
Italian opposition parties have also condemned the remarks, expressing solidarity with Prime Minister Meloni and criticizing the derogatory language used against her.
According to foreign reports, Meloni has recently been active in international political discussions, including expressing support for Pope Leo in a debate involving the United States’ stance on Iran-related military actions, which has drawn increased political attention.
Earlier, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has strongly criticised anti-Olympics protesters after violent clashes broke out in Milan over the weekend. She described those involved in the violence as “enemies of Italy” and blamed them for damaging the country’s image during a major international event.
The incidents took place on Saturday night in Milan, which is hosting the Winter Olympics together with the Alpine town of Cortina d’Ampezzo. It was the first full day of competition at the Games. While most events continued as planned, unrest on the streets and acts of sabotage caused concern among authorities.
Meloni praised the thousands of Italians working to ensure the Olympics run smoothly. She said they were presenting a positive image of Italy to the world. In contrast, she accused violent protesters of trying to harm the country’s reputation. In a post on Instagram on Sunday, she said these groups were demonstrating against the Olympics while ensuring scenes of chaos were shown on television worldwide. She also referred to damage to railway cables that prevented trains from running.
