The Financial Times: ‘Vannacci is Russia’s Trojan horse’. He retorts: ‘They’re afraid of me’

Russia’s ‘Trojan horse’ in the West. That is how the Financial Times described Roberto Vannacci, leader of Futuro Nazionale, in an analysis published on Wednesday. The article drew on his comments regarding rising energy prices and, above all, his call to halt arms shipments to Kyiv.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Antonio Tajani also spoke on the matter, commenting that ‘the Financial Times can write whatever it likes. But what is said must always be substantiated. I hope this is completely untrue’.

He is, however, more concerned about the possibility of attempts by Russia to influence the vote in Italia. ‘It is a general issue; it is an issue that affects the whole of the European Union, but we cannot rule out the possibility of attempts to influence elections in countries where voting is taking place. I am convinced that this could happen, which is why we must take action in advance.’

Returning to the article in the British newspaper, Vannacci responded during the programme “È sempre Carta Bianca” on Rete 4: “It’s a new label, one of the many that have been pinned on me” – this is just another one. “I’m still waiting for a shred of evidence, the smoking gun – until then, it’s all just idle chatter. They must accuse me of something; they’re absolutely terrified of me. Homophobe, racist, xenophobe, sexist and now a Trojan horse.”

Earlier, on social media, he had written: ‘Dear Sir,’ he wrote on social media, ‘I am replying to you with a trembling hand, having just discovered that I am a “Manchurian candidate” sent by the Russian Federation to complain about the unaffordable petrol prices in my country, Italia. You rely on notoriously Russophobic organisations such as the ECFR and the IAI to portray me as a ‘Trojan horse’. Honestly, I expected more from you.”