Russia helped Salvini pay for the trip he was going to make to Moscow in May

The Embassy of Russia in Italy, through a Russian travel agency, helped the leader of the far-right League, Matteo Salviniand his companions, to buy the plane tickets they needed in rubles to visit Moscow in May, a trip that ultimately did not take place and with which the politician sought to mediate in the conflict in Ukraine.

The Russian Embassy issued a statement this Saturday explaining that “Matteo Salvini’s trip was scheduled for May 29.”

“Since, due to the sanctions of the European Union (EU)” against Russia for its war in Ukraine, “direct flights between Rome and Moscow have been suspended, it was necessary for the Italian delegation to buy plane tickets for a flight from Aeroflot from Istanbul to Moscow”, is specified in the text.

Also because of the sanctions against the airline “it is difficult to buy tickets for their flights from the territory of the EU” and that is why the Russian Embassy helped Salvini and his companions “to buy the plane tickets they needed in rubles through an agency Russian travel agency,” he added.

As the trip did not take place, the Embassy received a refund of the amount spent “in euros (with the respective documents that accredit it)”.

“We do not see anything illegal in all these actions,” the note concludes.

Salvini met on several occasions with Russian diplomats in Rome with the intention of mediating in the conflict in Ukraine, as revealed on June 1 by his adviser Antonio Capuano, who is being investigated by the Parliamentary Committee that controls the action of the secret services for planning a trip to Moscow.

The far-right leader had previously confirmed that he was analyzing “the possibility” of traveling to Moscow to encourage “representatives” of the Russian government to negotiate peace, despite the fact that he does not hold any position in Mario Draghi’s Executive.

This Saturday, and after the letter from the Russian Embassy was published, Salvini stated in a note that “he has instructed his lawyers to sue anyone, starting with the media and politicians, who has made or is making insinuations and accusations about the possible trip to Moscow”.

“The League does not have and has not had economic agreements of any kind with Moscow. The expenses of Salvini’s possible plane trip were paid entirely by the League” and therefore “the Kremlin did not give away any tickets nor is there any ‘travel paid for by Moscow’: whoever continues to affirm the contrary, will answer for it in the appropriate forums ”, he added.

Salvini’s possible trip to Moscow and the help from the Russian embassy have generated enormous controversy in Italy and the far-right leader is trying to settle the matter to prevent it, among other things, from penalizing him with the loss of more votes than he already has lost in recent times, before the general elections next spring.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.