The Russian Foreign Ministry has released a list of statements deemed "hate speech" against Russia by leaders of various Western countries. Among them is a statement by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, dated February 5, during a speech at the University of Marseille. On that occasion, Mattarella compared Russia's aggression against Ukraine to the Third Reich's wars of conquest.
The list is posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, titled "Examples of statements by Western elite officials and representatives about Russia using hate speech." The list includes representatives of 13 countries, the EU, and NATO. Mattarella's statement is the only one cited for Italy . The list also includes statements by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz , French President Emmanuel Macron , three by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte , and seven by the EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas . Only one statement for the US: a statement by Senator Lindsay Graham who recently, drawing a parallel with the American raids on Iran, speculated that the United States could have bombed Russia if Moscow had not observed the 50-day ultimatum (now reduced to 10) imposed by President Donald Trump to make peace with Ukraine. “If Putin and the others are wondering what will happen on day 51, I advise them to call the Ayatollah,” the senator wrote on X.
The Farnesina is about to summon the Russian ambassador to Italy to challenge his inclusion of high-ranking Italian officials in an alleged list of "Russophobic" individuals.
