ROME, June 11, 2026 – The Russian Ambassador to Italy, Alexey Paramonov, launched a scathing attack on Italian authorities, particularly the Quirinale, during an official speech at his residence to mark Russia Day. Paramonov accused Italy of spreading “blatant falsehoods” regarding Russia’s role in current global issues, from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and Africa.
Ambassador Paramonov’s Accusations
Speaking before hundreds of guests at the historic Villa Amabelek, Paramonov stated, “Here in Italy, from some of the high Roman hills, we often hear accusations: Russia is allegedly guilty of all the current problems of today’s world order, be it in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or Africa. I can firmly state that these accusations are absolutely untrue: they are a blatant falsehood. The facts testify to the exact opposite.”
The ambassador’s remarks were delivered at an event notably boycotted by prominent Italian politicians. He emphasized that Moscow’s actions are a direct response to what he described as persistent Western aggression.
NATO Expansion and ‘Drang nach Osten’
Paramonov specifically pointed to NATO’s eastward expansion since the mid-1990s. “It was precisely NATO that, starting from the mid-1990s, insistently pushed its borders eastward without any justification: it proceeded with the political-military assimilation of Eastern European countries and states that once belonged to the USSR, engaging in plotting real, not imaginary, threats against present-day Russia,” he asserted.
He further added, “In this situation, Moscow had, and still has, no other choice but to take its destiny into its own hands and independently defend its national interests. It is difficult to imagine a sovereign state, endowed with a centuries-old history, acting to its own detriment. Only states and leaders who have lost their sovereignty and independence, ultimately becoming vassals and servants of the ‘powerful of the world’ at the expense of their own population’s interests, behave in this way.”
Paramonov urged those contemplating a “new campaign towards the East, a ‘Drang nach Osten’, to reconsider, to remember their responsibilities for past crimes, and to cease dragging peoples into new wars,” drawing parallels to various aggressions suffered by Russia, including the Nazi invasion.
‘Special Military Operation’ as a Response to Hybrid Warfare
Regarding the ongoing conflict, Paramonov maintained that the “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine “represents a response to the West’s hybrid war against Russia, a response to attempts to limit our sovereign development capabilities, to undermine our legitimate political and economic interests, to destabilize the internal political structure, and to relegate Russia to the margins of world history. All of this is objectively impossible. We will never allow it.”
Russia’s International Standing and Future World Order
The ambassador also highlighted Russia’s continued engagement on the international stage despite perceived isolation efforts. “Our adversaries have failed to isolate Russia in the international arena. Our country continues to actively participate in the work of the UN, successfully cooperates with partners in the G20, BRICS, ASEAN, and on other platforms, operating in the vast Eurasian spaces within the framework of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” Paramonov stated.
He expressed conviction that these alliances are forging a new model of world order “based on mutual respect, balance of interests, sovereign equality of states, diversity of civilizations, indivisibility of security, observance of international law, as well as a clear rejection of unipolarity and ‘bloc’ mentality.”
Conditional Dialogue with the West
Paramonov concluded with a conditional offer for dialogue, even with Western countries. “Russia is alien to the logic of a ‘besieged fortress’ and the country remains open to the world, to dialogue, and to cooperation, including with Western countries, Italy included, provided they abandon their hostile attitude and any attempts to trample on the legitimate interests of our country.”
Among the attendees were Francesco Toscano, president of Sovereign and Popular Democracy, publisher Sandro Teti, Moni Ovadia, and Gianluca Savoini, known for the Hotel Metropol scandal concerning alleged covert Russian funding to the League, which was later archived.
Source: ANSA.it
