Overview
- The Italian foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador over Maria Zakharova’s comments linking Italy’s Ukraine support to a “collapse,” but Moscow sent its chargé d’affaires, Mikhail Rossiyskiy.
- A formal reprimand was issued and the ministry condemned the spokesperson’s language as vulgar and unacceptable during a national tragedy.
- Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said verbal attacks from Russia only strengthen Italians’ resolve to support Ukraine against an illegal aggression.
- The Russian Embassy in Rome expressed condolences for the death of Romanian worker Octay Stroici and wished a swift recovery to the injured.
- In a Facebook post, the embassy criticized the meeting’s timing on November 4 as lacking diplomatic courtesy and suggested the issue did not warrant urgency.