Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who took the office exactly a year ago, is beginning a short tour, which includes visits first to Kiev, and then to Moscow, according to TASS.
In Ukraine, Renzi will have a meeting with President Petro Poroshenko, and on March 5 he will come to Russia, where he will have meetings with Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Italy's presidential press service said the talks will focus on international issues - settlement of the crisis in Ukraine, the situations in the Middle East and in Libya, as well as fighting terrorism.
Italian experts say, one of the issues on the agenda will be the situation in Libya. Italy is very nervous about what is happening in that country, which is only 300 kilometres from the Apennines. The concerns are not only about the resumed inflows of migrants, but also in the threats from the Islamic State, which has been expanding its influence in Libya, where the unrest features two governments and dozens militarised groups.