ROME (Sputnik) — Claudio D'Amico, a former lawmaker and the foreign relations secretary for Lega Nord, will come alongside the party leader for the one-day visit, according to Savoini.
Lega Nord is a northern Italian regionalist party which supports broader autonomy for the Padania region. The party is represented in the Italian parliament and has been a longtime ally of Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia. The party also supports better relations with Russia and has called for Italy to lift EU anti-Russian sanctions.
In July 2014, the United States and European Union imposed sanctions against entire sectors of Russian economy over its alleged interference in Ukrainian conflict and reunification with Crimea.
A number of Italian regions, namely Lombardy, Liguria, and Veneto called for lifting restrictive measures imposed on Russia.
