Visiting Premier Giuseppe Conte
on Wednesday invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Italy,
saying he hadn't been there for too long.
"I hope that you can come to Italy as soon as possible,
you've not been there for too long: I wouldn't like the Italian
people to think you aren't paying attention to them," said
Conte, who is on an official visit to Russia.
Conte said it was right to support Italy's economic
relations with Russia and that sanctions are a tool to be
"overcome as soon as possible" after meeting with Putin.
"It is right to support economic relations between Italy and
Russia, in the reciprocal interest of the two countries", Conte
said.
"Sanctions are never an end for Italy but a tool to be
overcome as soon as possible, through dialogue".
Speaking about the Ukrainian dossier, the Italian premier said
"there is no alternative perspective to the respect of the Minsk
agreements".
Conte said that "I'm not here to ask Putin to buy Italian
bonds via the sovereign fund".
He added, however, that "the fundamentals of the Italian
economy are solid" and if the fund were to do so, it would get a
"bargain".
Putin said he would have no "qualms" about buying Italian
bonds.
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