JAKARTA - As many as 20 bottles of vodka sent by President Vladimir Putin as a birthday present for former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, violated European sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission said Thursday.
Berlusconi, whose party Forza Italia will become a member of Italy's new coalition government, sparked controversy this week, when he said he was back in touch with Putin and recently exchanged sweet letters with the Russian president.
"For my birthday, he sent me 20 bottles of vodka and a very sweet letter," Berlusconi, who was 86 years old last month, told lawmakers of his lower house, according to audio released by LaPresse news agency.
"I answered with a few bottles of Lambrusco (anggur) and the same sweet letter," Berlusconi continued.
In this regard, a spokesman for the European Commission said in a statement that the EU sanctions package agreed in April extended the ban on imports for Russian goods including alcoholic beverages, including vodka, adding there were no exceptions for gifts.
However, it is up to each EU member state to impose sanctions, they said.
Meanwhile, a party spokesman denied Berlusconi was in touch with Putin, saying he had told his lawmaker "an old story that refers to an episode years ago."
Forza Italia later issued a statement saying Berlusconi's position and the party in the war in Ukraine were "in line with European and US positions," and "there is no room for ambiguity and never existed."
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