The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov on a visit to Italy met with Prime Minister Mario Draghi at Palazzo Chigi.
During the meeting they discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan, underlining the priority objectives: to ensure stabilization and security in the country and on a regional scale, to deal with the ongoing humanitarian emergency and to ensure respect for human rights, in particular for women.
The role of the various international summits
, including the G20, to discuss the prospects for a solution to the crisis in Afghanistan
was also addressed during the meeting
. Italy, as part of the G20 presidency, is planning an in-depth ad hoc summit on Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio announced in the press conference at the end of the interview with his Russian colleague Lavrov, adding that he is counting on "collaboration "of Russia.
"We have remained in contact with all the parties in recent years in Afghanistan, even with the Taliban. But when results are not achieved at the negotiating table, conflicts will restart, and this and what has happened in Afghanistan. We want to understand what role it can play. now Russia according to our partners, what the G20 can add to the situation, and we have been promised a document on this, "said the Russian foreign minister.
In addition to the Afghan crisis, the meeting talked about the situation in Libya and in particular the need to continue with the political dialogue promoted in Geneva by the United Nations also in view of the elections at the end of December and the need of a rapid withdrawal of foreign forces from the country.
"I reminded the minister of our concern for the case of Alexei Navalny, to whom legitimate guarantees must be applied" to protect "fundamental rights". Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said this in a press conference at the Farnesina with his Russian colleague Serghiei Lavrov, adding that it is necessary to speak frankly between friendly countries. The head of the Farnesina also raised the question of the Ukrainian crisis.