Italy summoned the Russian ambassador on Wednesday after Moscow placed President Sergio Mattarella on a list of Western figures accused of using “the language of hatred” toward Russia.
Tensions between Rome and Moscow—already strained by the war in Ukraine—have worsened in recent days. Last week, Italy cancelled a concert by a pro-Kremlin conductor in response to growing diplomatic friction.
In a statement, Italy’s foreign ministry condemned the decision to include Mattarella on the list, calling it “a provocation against the Republic and the Italian people.” Although the Italian president holds a largely ceremonial role, the move was viewed as a symbolic escalation.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz also appears on the list, which Russia’s foreign ministry says targets leaders who have made especially harsh criticisms. Moscow claims Merz was included for comparing Russia’s war in Ukraine to Nazi Germany’s aggression in the 1940s.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine. Earlier this month, Italy hosted an international conference on Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction, and the country has taken in thousands of Ukrainian refugees since the 2022 invasion.
