Former Italian premier blames Zelensky for ongoing war in Ukraine

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi blamed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for the ongoing war in Ukraine, local media reported late Sunday.

Berlusconi, who is also the leader of the coalition partner Forza Italia party, claimed that Ukrainian attacks on Donbas and Luhansk regions caused the war, according to the state-run ANSA news agency.

As such, he added, I judge Zelensky's behavior very negatively.

"If I had been the prime minister, I would never have gone to talk to Zelensky," Berlusconi said.

Berlusconi further argued that the U.S. should convince the Ukrainian leader to stop the war by threatening to cut the aid if he does not order a cease-fire.

In return, Biden should offer him a new Marshall Plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine, he added.

Within an hour, the Italian Prime Minister's Office responded to him, saying: "The support for Ukraine by the Italian government is firm."

Foreign Minister Antonia Tajani, also from the Forza Italia party, said on Twitter: "Forza Italia has always been in favor of the independence of Ukraine, on the side of Europe, NATO, and the West."