We stand by Ukraine says Tajani after Berlusconi row

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 15 - Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has stressed that Italy stands by Kyiv after a row broke out of comments by ex-premier and Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
    Speaking Sunday, Berlusconi said he would "never" have met with Zelensky as Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni did on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels Thursday, adding that he had a "very, very negative" view of Zelensky's conduct and suggesting Moscow had been provoked into invading its neighbour.
    The European People's Party (EPP), which Forza Italia belongs to, publicly rejected those statements on Tuesday.
    "Italy wants peace, which can only be achieved by continuing to arm Kyiv," Tajani, who is also Forza Italia's national coordinator, said in an interview published in Wednesday's edition of La Repubblica.
    "It is necessary to do everything so that the final solution is not a surrender to the Russians.
    "The government is solidly anchored to the EU, to the USA, to the West".
    He added that Berlusconi's comments did not amount to a change of stance on Forza Italia's part.
    "The party line has never moved away from that of the EPP and the Italian parliament.
    "Italy is not NATO's weak link".
    Tajani said that Italy's has approved at sixth package of aid to Ukraine and stressed that, while another is not in the pipeline at the moment, if there were another, "Forza Italia would vote for it".
    On Tuesday that the EPP said via Twitter that it "firmly rejects the remarks made by Silvio Berlusconi on Ukraine.
    "They do not reflect our political line," the post said.
    "Russia is the agressor, Ukraine is the victim.
    "We will not give in to Putin's narrative and Ukraine can count on our full support.
    #StandwithUkraine". (ANSA).