MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will come to Italy on an official visit on July 4 to meet with the Italian leadership, and he will also hold talks with Pope Francis in the Vatican, the Kremlin said in a statement on Monday.

"On July 4, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will make an official visit to Italy," the statement says. "He is scheduled to hold talks with Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte."

"[They] are expected to discuss key issues of the Russian-Italian cooperation in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields along with pressing international and regional issues," the Kremlin said.

In addition, Putin and Conte will attend a meeting of the Russian-Italian Civil Society Dialogue Forum.

"The president of the Russian Federation will visit the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis," the Kremlin added.