OREANDA-NEWS Italy has unconditionally joined the anti-Russian sanctions of the West and the supply of weapons to Ukraine against the will of half of the population, but its citizens still love Russia, its culture, and treat Russians with unwavering sympathy, Russian Ambassador Sergey Razov, who is completing his mission in Rome, said.

"The last year and a half has really turned out to be very difficult in the relations between our countries. However, there have been worse times — remember the participation of fascist Italy in the aggression against the USSR. I am sure there will be better times, more in line with the fundamental interests of the peoples of our countries, the needs of economic cooperation, cultural interaction," he said in an interview with correspondents of Russian news agencies accredited in Italy.

Razov, who has worked in the Apennines for almost ten years, noted that during this time seven governments of different political orientations have already changed, with their own nuances in the perception of Russia and peculiarities in approaches to relations with Moscow.