A Putin-friendly tape recording of political mummy Silvio Berlusconi puts pressure on Italian election winner, Giorgia Meloni, shortly before the government is formed. Besides fine words, vodka and Lambrusco, there is one sentence from Berlusconi that catches the eye: “I am one of Putin’s five real friends.”
“I have somewhat resumed relations with President Putin. He sent me 20 bottles of vodka and a very sweet letter for my birthday. I answered him with bottles of Lambrusco and an equally sweet letter,” Berlusconi said on the audio recording, confusing Italy again.
Putin then counted him as “one of his five real friends”. Although Berlusconi’s party vehemently denies it and talks about old recordings, this raises huge doubts about the determination of the future Italian government to act against Moscow. Russian media celebrate the verdict and Europe faces a puzzle: who are Putin’s real friends?
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
