Rome summons Russian envoy over Italy president on ‘Russophobe' list
Relations between Rome and Moscow -- already strained by the Kremlin's Ukraine invasion -- have dipped further in recent days, with Italy cancelling a concert last week of a pro-Kremlin maestro.
Italy's foreign ministry said it considered 'the inclusion of the head of state in this list a provocation against the republic and the Italian people.'
Moscow included Mattarella on its foreign ministry list of Western officials whom it accuses of using 'the language of hatred' against Russia.
Other European leaders, such as Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, are also on the list.
As president, Mattarella occupies a largely ceremonial role.
But Moscow has said it included him on its list for having compared Moscow's aggression in Ukraine to Nazi Germany.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been a staunch advocate of Kyiv, with Italy hosting a conference on Ukraine's recovery earlier this month.
Italy has taken in thousands of Ukrainian refugees since Moscow's 2022 invasion of the country.
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