Following Moscow's takeover of heating firm Ariston and German household appliances firm Bosch's local units last month, the European Union has to protect Italian and European companies operating in Russia, according to Italy.
"I will reiterate the importance that Europe offers guarantees to Italian and other European companies continuing to operate under sanctions in Russia," foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters in Brussels.
Tajani was speaking on the sidelines of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels chaired by the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
"There is a permanent panel on Russia organised by the foreign ministry in Rome, in which all companies present in Russia take part in together with our embassy and our two consulates," Tajani underlined.
There are "about 200" Italian firms still operating in Russia, Tajani noted.
"We will do everything to make it clear that these companies are not alone and that the Italian government economy supports them," he said.
Tajani was also set at Monday's meeting to raise the issue of 463 million euros worth of assets, shares and property belonging Italian bank Unicredit's Russian subsidiary ordered last week by a St Petersburg court. The court ruling upheld a request by Ruskhimalyans, a local company that produces liquefied natural gas (LNG) and is a subsidiary of the giant Gazprom.
Besides Unicredit, Germany’s Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank are also involved in the Russian court case.
.jpg)
