Italy Summons Russian Ambassador After President Mattarella Named on Kremlin’s "Russophobes" List

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has ordered the Russian Ambassador in Rome to be summoned in protest over the inclusion of President Sergio Mattarella and other senior institutional figures in a so-called list of “Russophobes” published in Russia.

This was reported Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 30.

Tajani condemned the move, calling the inclusion of the Head of State a deliberate provocation against the Italy and its people.

“Minister Tajani regards the inclusion of the Head of State in such a list as a provocation against the Republic and the Italian people, and expresses both his institutional and personal solidarity with President Mattarella,” the stement reads.

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The diplomatic move comes amid broader public backlash against Russian influence in Italy. Earlier, on July 21, the Italian Ministry of Culture confirmed the cancellation of a scheduled performance by Valery Gergiev at the Royal Palace of Caserta, following pressure from Ukrainian communities and activist groups.

Gergiev, the director of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, is a vocal supporter of the Kremlin. He endorsed Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and signed a letter in 2022 backing the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The so-called “Russophobes list” is a propaganda instrument employed by Russian state-affiliated media and pro-Kremlin organizations to publicly identify and discredit individuals and entities they accuse of being hostile or unduly critical of Russia.

Those targeted often include foreign political leaders—such as presidents, prime ministers, and ministers—as well as journalists, media outlets, cultural figures, academics, public intellectuals, influencers, and various organizations and NGOs. The list serves to stigmatize dissenting voices and reinforce the Kremlin’s narrative of external hostility toward Russia.

Previosly, it was reported that that Russian conductor Valery Gergiev faced widespread public backlash in Italy ahead of his planned concert at the Royal Palace of Caserta, due to his close association with Vladimir Putin and outspoken support for Russia’s military aggression.

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