Silvio Berlusconi Claims He Brought the Cold War to a Close
In a recent TV chat, former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi dropped a headline‑making confession: he’s the mastermind behind the Cold War’s end.
The Cold War—Or What Berlusconi Says It Was
While the mainstream story is that the Cold War fizzled out with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Berlusconi hammers it home with a personal twist.
- “Back in 2001, I was out there, telling the world I wanted the Cold War to finally wrap up,” he boasted during a morning show.
- He claims the real finale happened in May 2002 at a NATO summit near Rome—his own turf—where US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin were in attendance.
The Italian Air Base “Grand Entrance”
Berlusconi’s favorite anecdote comes from the air base in Pratica di Mare. According to him:
“I’ve used all my charm—and perhaps a vintage Italian espresso—to convince the two big guns of the world to sign off on a treaty. In essence, Rome’s high‑flyer brought Bush and Putin together, and together they signed a pact that basically said, ‘Let’s break up the Cold War like we break up a long‑term relationship.’”
The treaty, he says, was a blue‑print for cooperation on everything from drug funneling to arms trade—and it kicks off a whole new chapter in NATO–Russia relations. The summit wrapped up with a declaration that set up a formal process for consultations and collaboration.
Election Forecast and Berlusconi’s Legacy
The political landscape is geared toward a coalition led by Berlusconi’s Forza Italia and its right‑wing cousins: the Northern League and Brothers of Italy. While they’re expected to snag the most seats on March 4, polls suggest the alliance will probably fall just shy of a clean majority.
At 81 years old, Berlusconi’s gaze shifts back to his earlier reigns, reminding viewers that he presided over four governments from 1994 to 2011. He’s no stranger to proclaiming that Italian influence on the global stage was higher under him than it was under centre‑left coalitions.
Final Word
Whether you’re a history buff, a political junkie, or just craving a good anecdote about a former prime minister’s grand claims, Berlusconi’s story is one to keep in your back pocket. After all, history’s full of surprises—just ask the man who says he held the torch that ended the Cold War at an Italian air base.
