European support for Ukraine ‘remains strong’ after Berlusconi defends Putin

Silvio Berlusconi defended Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine (PA)

European support for Ukraine “remains strong”, western officials have said, after former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi defended Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

Mr Berlusconi told Italian broadcasters on Thursday that Mr Putin only wished to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with a government of “decent people”.