Silvio Berlusconi, former Prime Minister of Italy, who was criticised for his recent statements about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, now says that he has always been on the side of the Ukrainian people.

"Let’s look at the facts. We have always supported the Ukrainian people, we have always voted without any doubt or hesitation in Italy and Europe that we need to support Ukraine by sending funds and weapons," Berlusconi wrote on Facebook.

"I have always been and am on the side of the Ukrainian people and peace."

Berlusconi has also expressed his hopes that the diplomatic ending of "this war, very dangerous for all of us" will be found in the near future.

"I have only offered a big Marshall Plan for restoration of Ukraine as a possible diplomatic way of ending this conflict that is, and I repeat again, very dangerous for all of us," he said, meaning his offer to help Ukraine only with restoration and not weapons.

It was reported earlier that Berlusconi said that he would not meet Zelenskyy if he still was the Prime Minister, while commenting on the meeting of Meloni and Zelenskyy at the EU Summit in Brussels.

While voting at the regional elections in Lombardia, Berlusconi added that if Zelenskyy stopped "attacking" two regions in the east of Ukraine, the Russian invasion of Ukraine would not happen at all.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to this and stated that by spreading Russian propaganda, the former Italian Prime Minister is encouraging Russia to continue its crimes against Ukraine.