Silvio Berlusconi on Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Silvio Berlusconi's core position on Volodymyr Zelenskyy centered on attributing significant responsibility for the war in Ukraine to the Ukrainian president himself. He argued that the conflict could have been avoided, suggesting that Zelenskyy's actions and policies contributed to escalating tensions with Russia. This stance was voiced publicly in early 2023, indicating a direct challenge to the prevailing Western narrative that held Russia solely accountable for the invasion. He expressed that if he were the Prime Minister, he would not have engaged in direct confrontation with the Russian leader.

This public alignment with a narrative critical of the Ukrainian leadership caused significant political fallout within the Italian coalition government, with allies having to publicly distance themselves from his comments to reaffirm their commitment to the European Union's unified stance. The former premier’s remarks were frequently framed as spreading Russian talking points, leading to accusations of undermining support for Kyiv. His comments highlighted a persistent pro-Russian undercurrent within certain segments of his political base, contrasting sharply with the official foreign policy of the Italian government.