Political, commercial and cultural ties between Italy and Russia are "dynamic", the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday ahead of foreign minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi's visit to Moscow next week.
During his meeting in Moscow on Monday with his Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Moavero will cover "relevant topics" concerning bilateral ties, the foreign ministry statement said.
The talks "will also provide an opportunity assess the prospects for further development (of these ties), given the mutual interest that characterises relations between Russia and Italy," the statement went on.
Moavero and Lavrov will hold "in-depth" discussions aimed at improving security in Libya and stabilising the country, and Moavero will renew Italy's invitation to Russia to take part in an international conference on Libya taking place in Palermo on 12-13 November, said the statement.
"The two ministers will also compare viewpoints on the complex Middle East region. As chairman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Minister Moavero will review the most sensitive issues facing OSCE and the organisation's next ministerial meeting in Milan on 6 December," the statement said.
Moavero and Lavrov are due to give a joint press conference after their talks, according to the statement.
Moavero is also slated to meet Russia industry and trade minister Denis Manturov during his visit to Moscow, the statement added.
Moavero's visit to Russia is part of preparations for talks in Moscow between president Vladimir Putin and Italy's populist premier Giuseppe Conte which are set to take place on 24 October.
In an interview with La Stampa newspaper on Thursday, Conte described Putin as "a key international player" and said he supported Russia being invited back to the G8.
Russia was suspended from the influential G8 bloc after its illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. Since then the G7 has met in its place.
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