Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi speaks during the closing electoral campaign rally of the centre-right's coalition in Piazza del Popolo, ahead of the September 25 general election, in Rome, Italy, September 22, 2022. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
ROME (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin was "pushed" into the war on Ukraine to install a new government in Kyiv, former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi said late on Thursday, in comments likely to concern Western allies ahead of Italy's election.
Berlusconi, whose Forza Italia party belongs to a right-wing coalition expected to win the general election on Sunday, is not new to defending Putin's actions in Ukraine. His comments highlight cracks in the coalition over the war.
