Ukraine: Italy always has channel open with Russia-Di Maio

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 13 - Italy always has a channel open with Russia in the hopes of reaching a peace deal in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Wednesday.
    "The fundamental issue is diplomacy," he told Radio Anch'io.
    "Precisely when the sides refuse to work on diplomacy we must accelerate on this.
    "We must promote a peace conference preceded by a ceasefire.
    "The country that is most working for peace is Turkey that manages to talk to both sides but Italy always has a channel open with Moscow".
    Di Maio added that sanctions are useful to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin continuing to spend money to make war in Ukraine.
    "We must impose sanctions to prevent him continuing to commit money to the war".
    Finally, on the French presidential run-off between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, Di Maio said "we can choose two roads: that of nationalism that isolates us or that of Europeanism which enables us to not sink institutions like the UN and NATO.
    "Well, I sat we need Europeanism and not nationalisms". (ANSA).