MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held a telephone talk with his Italian counterpart Lorenzo Guerini who promised assistance to Russia, if necessary, to combat the coronavirus, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.
"The Italian defense minister thanked Sergei Shoigu for his information on sanitary and epidemiological measures underway in the Russian army and expressed his readiness to provide medical assistance to the Russian side in the fight against the pandemic, if need be," the ministry said.
The telephone talk was held at the initiative of the Italian side, it added.
The Italian defense minister also thanked his Russian counterpart for the prompt and timely provision of the assistance in the fight against the coronavirus spread, Russia’s Defense Ministry noted.
"The head of the Italian Defense Ministry specially emphasized the high professionalism, self-sacrifice and responsibility of all the Russian military specialists of radiation, chemical and biological protection and army medics who rendered assistance to the Italian side," the ministry said.
Following the results of their talk, the heads of the defense ministries of Russia and Italy agreed to continue their dialogue on the issues of mutual interest, Russia’s Defense Ministry stressed.