Italy’s Berlusconi Blames Zelenskiy for Russia’s Invasion

Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi told lawmakers that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, pushed Russian President Vladimir Putin into an endless war, according to audio obtained by an Italian newswire, despite a preponderance of evidence to the contrary.

The recording sheds further light on the pressures to soften Italy’s stance toward Russia in the right-wing coalition that won elections on Sept. 25. Its publication follows that of another recording, apparently from the same meeting with lawmakers, where Berlusconi recounted how he had revived ties with Putin.