ROME: Italian ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi was under fresh scrutiny on Wednesday over his friendship with President Vladimir Putin after being recorded describing a birthday present of vodka from the Russian leader and expressing concerns about arming Ukraine.

Aides insisted he had been misrepresented, but the row risks embarrassing Berlusconi’s coalition allies, led by far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, as they prepare to form a new government following last month’s elections. Meloni strongly supports Ukraine and EU sanctions on Russia, but both Berlusconi and her other coalition ally, League leader Matteo Salvini, have both long had warm ties with Moscow.

“Meloni hostage of pro-Russians,” headlined Wednesday’s La Repubblica newspaper, while other reports described her private outrage at what is only the latest gaffe from the billionaire media mogul.

A recording emerged late on Tuesday of Berlusconi recounting how he had rekindled ties with President Putin, an old friend. Italian online news agency LaPresse said the comments came during a meeting of his Forza Italia party lawmakers this week.

“I reconnected a little bit with President Putin... for my birthday he sent me 20 bottles of vodka and a very kind letter,” he said, according to the tape published by LaPresse.

“I responded with bottles of Lambrusco (red wine) and an equally sweet letter.”

A spokesman for Berlusconi, who turned 86 last month, denied he had rekindled relations with Putin, saying Berlusconi had been telling parliamentarians an “old story relating to an episode dating back many years”.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2022