Rome (AFP) - Italy has summoned Russia’s ambassador in Rome after a Russian television presenter delivered a stream of insults against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday.

According to Italian media, presenter Vladimir Solovyov said in Italian on Russian television that Meloni was a “disgrace to the human race”, a “wild beast”, a “certified idiot”, and a “nasty little woman”.

Then, switching to Russian, he said that “this Meloni is a fascist creature who betrayed her electors,” adding that “she even betrayed (US President Donald) Trump.”

Tajani posted on X that he had “summoned the Russian Ambassador, Alexey Paramonov, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally protest the extremely serious and offensive remarks made by TV host Vladimir Solovyov on Russian television against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni”.

Even opposition parties in Italy condemned the comments from the Russian presenter.

Later, Meloni posted on X that “these caricatures certainly won’t make us change course,” adding that “our compass remains one and only: the interest of Italy. And we will continue to follow it with pride, much to the chagrin of propagandists far and wide.”

Relations between Rome and Moscow have been tense because of Meloni’s strong support for Ukraine, while her once friendly relations with Trump have worsened since she defended Pope Leo XIV against the US president’s verbal attacks.