Italy will never be a "weak link" in the Western alliance against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 This was stated by the leader of the "Brothers of Italy" Giorgia Maloni, writes the Financial Times.

 In a statement on Wednesday night, Maloney, who is expected to be appointed prime minister in the next few days, said her government would have a "clear, unambiguous foreign policy line" and she would demand "clarity" from everyone ministers on this issue.

 "Italy is fully and proudly part of Europe and NATO. Anyone who does not agree with this cornerstone cannot be part of the government - even if it means refusing to form a government," Maloney said.

 "With us in government, Italy will never be the weak link in the West, the unreliable nation so beloved by our many detractors," Maloney said.

 The harsh statement came hours after another explosive audio recording was leaked in which Maloney's potential coalition partner, Silvio Berlusconi, directly accused Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, of the war.

 This is not the first scandalous statement by the leader of "Forward, Italy!", dedicated to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

 Speaking on the air of the Rai TV channel on the eve of the elections, Berlusconi, who is known for his friendship with the President of the Russian Federation, said that "Putin was pushed by the Russian people, the party, his ministers" to go to war against Ukraine, and the purpose of the invasion was allegedly to form a government of "decent people" in Kyiv.

 As you know, after winning the elections in Italy, Meloni promised to support Ukraine.