All countries are free to apply for NATO membership - including countries on Russia's western flank such as Finland - Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio stated on Thursday.
"Entries into NATO are sovereign decisions by individual countries. NATO is a defensive alliance and every country is free to chose its alliances," said Di Maio, speaking at the start of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Germany.
"Russia's authorities know this and would do better not make statements that only served to further heighten tensions," Di Maio went on.
Di Maio was speaking as Finnish media reports said the country's politicians had been warned that Russia could cut off gas supplies as soon as Friday after Finland's president and prime minister said the country would have to join NATO "without delay" to bolster its security.
"Rather, from (Russian president Vladimir) Putin, we expect some sign of his genuine wish to start peace negotiations," Di Maio said, referencing Russia's 11-week-old war in Ukraine.
During talks with US president Joe Biden in Washington earlier this week, premier Mario Draghi said that it was crucial to seek ways of ending the conflict in Ukraine and for the US to talk directly with Russia.
