(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 17 - Italy and Russia are seeking to arrange an encounter between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Premier Mario Draghi in Moscow, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told a press conference as he met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday amid diplomatic efforts to avert war in Ukraine.
"We are coordinating with Minister Lavrov for the date of a meeting between Draghi and Putin," Di Maio said, adding that the Italian premier had been invited to Moscow.
"What I want to tell you in relation to the tensions on the eastern border of Ukraine and between Ukraine and Russia is that Italy has always been working on the front line for a diplomatic solution.
"You can count on Italy in order to reach a diplomatic solution.
"Working together for a diplomatic solution means avoiding every type of sanction". (ANSA).
Working for Draghi-Putin meeting in Moscow - Di Maio
Rome on front-line for diplomatic solution says foreign minister