Rome (Times Of Ocean)- Italy will continue to implement sanctions against Russia and aid in diplomatic efforts to end the war, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said in a phone call with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday.
“The upcoming return of the Embassy of Italy to Kyiv demonstrates Italy’s strong support for the Ukrainian people and government,” the Italian Foreign Ministry said in a tweet.
“We are committed to implementing sanctions against Russia and supporting negotiations,” the statement said.
The Italian Embassy in Ukraine will move to Kyiv after Easter, which falls on April 17. Di Maio announced the move last Saturday.
Italy moved its embassy to Lviv on March 1, one week after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, when it appeared that they were closing in on Kiev.
Since Russian troops began attacking Ukraine on Feb. 24, at least 1,964 civilians have been killed and 2,613 have been injured, according to UN estimates, but the true number is believed to be much higher.
UNHCR says 4.7 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, and 7 million more are internally displaced.