Far-right leader’s visit, which he called a ‘peace mission’, put on ice after criticism from government allies
Matteo Salvini has defended himself after the Russian embassy in Italy revealed it had funded the far-right League leader’s planned trip to Moscow last month.
The Russian embassy said in a statement of Saturday that Moscow had been ready to welcome Salvini “at the appropriate level” and that it had purchased him and his delegation tickets for an Aeroflot flight to Moscow via Istanbul. Direct flights from Rome are suspended as a result of EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Salvini paid the money back when the trip was cancelled, the embassy added. “We see nothing illegal in any of these actions,” it said, explaining that the statement was issued to clarify media reports about the scrapped trip. “I met the Ukrainian ambassador to show solidarity, and the Russian one to ask for a ceasefire. To stop the war we need to ask those [in the country] where the war started.” He said he would continue to work for the national interest “from Rome, without needing to catch a flight”.