美国国家公共电台 NPR--Italy's prime minister supports Ukraine — causing tension within her coalition

Italy's prime minister supports Ukraine — causing tension within her coalition¹

Transcript²

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is known for her far-right domestic policies, but she is supporting Ukraine. However, some of her coalition partners do not.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

How much do other nations need to worry about Italy's right-wing government? The new prime minister is pursuing policies that make other democracies uncomfortable. Yet, she insists she still supports a war that is all about democracy, the defense³ of Ukraine. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli has been watching the new government.

SYLVIA POGGIOLI, BYLINE⁴: Hours after President Biden's surprise visit to Kyiv, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also visited the Ukrainian capital. Standing⁵ with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, she said the fate of western democracies depends on Ukraine's victory over Russia's attempt to trample⁶ international law.

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PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI: (Through interpreter) The battle being fought by Ukrainians is a battle for all of us. And we must do our part.

POGGIOLI: Meloni's visit had been put in jeopardy⁷ by remarks made by her coalition partner, Silvio Berlusconi. The media tycoon⁸ and former prime minister, a buddy⁹ of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that had he been prime minister, he never would have spoken to Zelenskyy.

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SILVIO BERLUSCONI: (Through interpreter) Because we are witnessing the devastation¹⁰ of his country and slaughter¹¹ of civilians¹². Had he stopped attacking the two separatist republics of Donbas, the war never would have happened. So I judge very, very negatively this gentleman's behavior.

POGGIOLI: Asked about those remarks at the press conference with Meloni, Zelenskyy oozed¹³ sarcasm¹⁴. Berlusconi's home has never been bombed, Zelenskyy replied. No one murdered his relatives, and all thanks, he added, to the brotherly love of Russia. Meloni looked mortified¹⁵. She hurriedly insisted facts are more important than words. And Berlusconi's party had always voted in parliament in favor of Ukraine. Meloni's other coalition partner is Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League party, who has voiced admiration¹⁶ for Putin. And when she was in opposition¹⁷, Meloni had aimed her invective¹⁸ at NATO and the EU, making some observers question her sincerity¹⁹.

STEFANO FELTRI: I think that Giorgia Meloni bluffed²⁰ in term of supporting the Western alliance in Ukraine.

POGGIOLI: Stefano Feltri, editor of the daily Domani, says that despite her pledges, her government has been slow in approving an increase in military support of Ukraine.

FELTRI: But she could not deliver anything because she's leading a coalition which is form of three main parties. Two of them are pro-Russian. And the third one used to be anti-European, anti-U.S., anti-France and anti-Germany, which is her own party, Brothers of Italy.

POGGIOLI: And on the domestic front, there's growing concern. Luca Sofri, editor of the online paper Il Post, worries that the Meloni government could roll back Italy's achievements in human rights.

LUCA SOFRI: This government is dangerous for what we have achieved for women, for migrants, against racism²¹ and for people in jails. It's a right-wing government.

POGGIOLI: The government's first bill was a crackdown on rave²² parties that could be used even against union rallies. And in a sign of the coalition's anti-migrant stance, it has imposed tough restrictions²³ on humanitarian²⁴ ships, a law the United Nations says will imperil lives. As to Ukraine, Meloni is sticking to the Western Front. But she's also facing growing Ukraine fatigue²⁵. A survey by the European Council for Foreign Relations showed that one out of every four Italians see Russia as an ally or strategic partner, a trend that could make Italy the weak link in the Western Front backing Ukraine.

Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

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1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 trample   

vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯

参考例句：

• Don't trample on the grass. 勿踏草地。
• Don't trample on the flowers when you play in the garden. 在花园里玩耍时,不要踩坏花。

7 jeopardy   

n.危险；危难

参考例句：

• His foolish behaviour may put his whole future in jeopardy.他愚蠢的行为可能毁了他一生的前程。
• It is precisely at this juncture that the boss finds himself in double jeopardy.恰恰在这个关键时刻，上司发现自己处于进退两难的境地。

8 tycoon   

n.有钱有势的企业家，大亨

参考例句：

• The tycoon is on the verge of bankruptcy.那名大亨濒临破产的边缘。
• The tycoon has many servants to minister to his needs.那位大亨有很多人服侍他。

9 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

10 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

12 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

13 oozed   

v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出

参考例句：

• Blood oozed out of the wound. 血从伤口慢慢流出来。
• Mud oozed from underground. 泥浆从地下冒出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 sarcasm   

n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）

参考例句：

• His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
• She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

15 mortified   

v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等）

参考例句：

• She was mortified to realize he had heard every word she said. 她意识到自己的每句话都被他听到了，直羞得无地自容。
• The knowledge of future evils mortified the present felicities. 对未来苦难的了解压抑了目前的喜悦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

17 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

18 invective   

n.痛骂，恶意抨击

参考例句：

• He retorted the invective on her.他用恶言讽刺还击她。
• His command of irony and invective was said to be very classic and lethal.据说他嬉笑怒骂的本领是极其杰出的，令人无法招架的。

19 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

20 bluffed   

以假象欺骗，吹牛( bluff的过去式和过去分词 )； 以虚张声势找出或达成

参考例句：

• Hung-chien bluffed, "You know perfectly well yourself without my telling you." 鸿渐摆空城计道：“你心里明白，不用我说。”
• In each case the hijackers bluffed the crew using fake grenades. 每一个案例中，劫机者都用了假手榴弹吓唬机组人员。

21 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

22 rave   

vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬

参考例句：

• The drunkard began to rave again.这酒鬼又开始胡言乱语了。
• Now I understand why readers rave about this book.我现明白读者为何对这本书赞不绝口了。

23 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

24 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

25 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。