ROME (Reuters) – Giorgia Meloni, who is expected to be named head of the Italian government shortly, pledged on Wednesday to present a resolutely pro-Western government, favorable to NATO and taking its full part in the Europe.
“With us in government, Italy will never be the weak link in the West,” she said, adding that any party that disagreed with this line would be deprived of a ministerial portfolio.
The remarks came after recordings were leaked showing that his ally, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, said he believed Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky was behind the conflict with Moscow.
86-year-old Silvio Berlusconi is an old friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the words attributed to him are consistent with statements he has already made in recent months, supporting Moscow and criticizing the West’s response.
Giorgia Meloni, who could be tasked this weekend with forming a government, recently pledged to perpetuate the line defended by her future predecessor Mario Draghi, who had supported Ukraine unreservedly, just as he supported the various sets of sanctions introduced by the West since the start of the conflict.
“There is one subject on which I have been, and will always be, clear. I intend to lead a government with a clear and unequivocal political line,” she said. “Those who do not share this point of view will not be able to be part of the government.”
(Reporting by Crispian Balmer, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien and John Stonestreet)
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