Premier Giorgia Meloni said Friday
that she was saddened that a row had broken out about the idea
of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appearing in a video
link on the last night of this week's Sanremo Song Festival
Saturday.
Instead of appearing, as previously announced, Zelensky is
sending a written message to the annual music extravaganza to be
read out by host and organizer Amadeus.
Many Italian politicians said Zelensky's presence would have
been inappropriate for a light entertainment event, while other
commentators said it risked trivializing the war against the
Russian invasion.
But many others said they had no problem with giving the
Ukrainian leader a platform to voice his gratitude to Italy for
its aid.
"I would have preferred Zelensky to have been present at
Sanremo," Meloni told a news conference after the European
summit, adding that she "appreciated" his decision to send a
written message.
"Above all, I'm sorry about the controversy that was stirred up.
"It isn't easy to have politics fit into an event like Sanremo,
although it is always present to a degree".
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