<!-- wp:html --><p>Reuters</p>
<p>ROME—Despite condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Italy’s long-serving politician <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/was-putins-midnight-visit-to-berlusconi-about-bunga-bunga">Silvio Berlusconi has spoken out about rekindling his most unusual bromance</a> with Russian President Vladimir Putin. </p>
<p>Berlusconi, who has just <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/giorgia-meloni-the-most-powerful-woman-in-the-european-union-is-anti-woman">been voted back into power</a> as part of a far-right coalition set to take office this month, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-italy-wine-silvio-berlusconi-5ae5079575f1b38fbae9f129cb7d6881">was caught on audio tape</a> admitting that despite criticizing Putin after the invasion began, he accepted a birthday present from him on his 86th birthday on Sept. 29. </p>
<p>“I have reconnected with President Putin,” Berlusconi said, according to an audio tape that has circulated in Italian media. “He sent me 20 bottles of vodka and a really sweet letter for my birthday. I responded with 20 bottles of Lambrusco and a similarly sweet letter.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/vladimir-putin-courts-italys-silvio-berlusconi-with-20-bottles-of-vodka?source=articles&via=rss">Read more at The Daily Beast.</a></p><!-- /wp:html -->
Berlusconi, who has just been voted back into power as part of a far-right coalition set to take office this month, was caught on audio tape admitting that despite criticizing Putin after the invasion began, he accepted a birthday present from him on his 86th birthday on Sept. 29.
“I have reconnected with President Putin,” Berlusconi said, according to an audio tape that has circulated in Italian media. “He sent me 20 bottles of vodka and a really sweet letter for my birthday. I responded with 20 bottles of Lambrusco and a similarly sweet letter.”
