War-ravaged Libya, jaied Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, ties with Russia, Nato and terrorism were at the centre of phone talks on Thursday between Italy's foreign secretary Luigi Di Maio and his US secretary of state Antony Blinken, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The talks covered "excellent bilateral relations, focusing on the main dossiers of common interest, including Libya, cooperation within NATO, the fight against terrorism, the Navalny case and relations with Russia," said the statement.
Di Maio gave his best wishes to Blinken, who took up his post on Wednesday, underlining "the deep friendship between Italy and the USA," the statement went on.
Di Maio and Blinken also expressed "the will to cooperate to give new impetus to an effective multilateralism capable of providing adequate responses to the great global challenges, starting with the fight against the (COVID-19) pandemic," the statement added.
Di Maio, Blinken and their G7 and EU counterparts on Wednesday issued a joint statement condemning "the politically motivated arrest and detention" of Navalny and urged his "immediate and unconditional release" from detention in Russia, where he has languished since 17 January.
