Meeting with the members of an Italian business delegation, President Vladimir Putin noted the substantial increase in bilateral trade.
Mr Putin said that energy sector agreements reached between the two countries represent a real step forward and that multi-billion dollar investments in the Russian energy sector have made a visible contribution to expanding cooperation between Russia and Italy and between Russia and its European partners in general.
The President said that Russia will continue its policy of encouraging foreign investors and making their work easier, including by improving administrative regulation and investment laws.