Italy hopes that Russia and the European Union (EU) will restart dialogue and Rome will assist this effort, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in an exclusive interview with TASS First Deputy Director-General Mikhail Gusman.

According to Conte, it is necessary "to maintain dialogue with Russia and develop this dialogue."

"This is because if Italy takes up an isolated position, the possibility of bringing the relations forward will be lost. In this respect, one should not only look at the improvement of the relations between Italy and Russia because they are already splendid.

But it is necessary to look at improving the relations between the European Union, i.e. the countries making part of the European Union, on the one hand, and Russia, on the other hand," Conte said.

Rome is striving to promote "the most comprehensive strategy" on this issue, Conte said.

‘We are trying to involve all the European partners in this activity because we will be able to improve the entire range of relations in Europe only in this way, and also to restore what has been lost in recent years. Of course, some break-up has occurred over the past few years.

The dialogue that had been cultivated for 25 years turned out to be interrupted for the reasons known to everyone," the Italian premier said.

"We should try to restore this dialogue, restore mutual cooperation. We want to help Russia. But we know that if only we help it, this is too little. That is why, we want to involve all, all the other parties in this activity," the Italian premier said.