"It is in NATO’s interests to continue the strategy of building long-term relations with Russia. We need to launch an extensive dialogue with Moscow on a permanent basis," the prime minister said, TASS news agency reported.
Gentiloni left Brussels for the Sicilian city of Taormina, where leaders from the group of seven industrialized nations (G7) will convene for a summit.
Relations with Russia will be high on the summit’s agenda, as the Italian authorities have repeatedly named mending ties with Moscow among the priorities of the country’s G7 presidency.
On May 17, Gentiloni met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.