Putin's Visit to Italy Exposes US Allies' Disunity – Italian Analyst

The G7 summit failed to bridge the gap among the Western nations in this respect, according to Dario Citati, the program director of "Eurasia" at the Graduate Institute of Geopolitical Studies and Allied Sciences in Italy.

NATO is also far from presenting a unified front. Some NATO members, namely the Baltic states and countries in Eastern Europe, have urged the alliance to invite Ukraine to join the bloc. Other countries, like Italy, are opposed to the idea.

"Therefore, the unanimity, evidently seen when the EU makes statements on behalf of its members or observed in such formats as the G7, bears little with reality," the political analyst told RT France.

Restrictive measures were introduced in response to Russia's alleged meddling in Ukrainian affairs but Moscow is not involved in the Ukrainian crisis. Moreover, Russia is making every effort to secure its peaceful resolution in accordance with the Minsk agreements.

Western sanctions have not resulted in Moscow changing its stance but they have turned out to be a burden for the Italian economy, political analyst told RT.

During his short stay in Italy, the Russian president met with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Pope Francis, which points to the significance of Putin's visit, Citati said, adding that the visit could have been cancelled but it was not.

The fact that Putin met with Pope Francis for the second time means that both global leaders see eye to eye on several international issues, the political analyst pointed out. The two previously met in December 2013.

"Despite what some say, Russia is not fully isolated in Europe," Citati said.