Italy protests after Russian TV host insults Giorgia Meloni

Italy has summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against insults directed at Prime ​Minister Giorgia Meloni by a pro-Kremlin ‌Russian television host, Rome's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

"I had the Russian ambassador... summoned to the Ministry of ​Foreign Affairs to express formal protests ​following the extremely serious and offensive statements ⁠made by the host Vladimir Solovyev on ​Russian television," Antonio Tajani said on X.

In a ​one-minute segment, Solovyev swore in Italian, calling Meloni a "certified idiot" and worse.

In Russian he added: "Meloni is fascist scum ​who betrayed her voters, having campaigned on ​completely different slogans. Betrayal is her middle name: she also ‌betrayed (US ⁠President Donald) Trump, to whom she had previously sworn allegiance."

Meloni leads a right-wing government that has provided military and civilian aid to Ukraine since ​Russia's invasion, ​but her ⁠coalition includes the League party, which has had close ties with ​the Kremlin.

She has recently fallen out of ​favour ⁠with Trump, previously a close ally, distancing herself from the war with Iran and openly criticising ⁠the ​US president for lashing out ​at Pope Leo.