MOSCOW, July 3./TASS/. During his one-day trip to Italy on July 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with his old friend, Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists on Wednesday.

In the morning, Putin will visit Vatican City. Later he will meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The Russian president will also take part in a session of the Russian-Italian Civil Society Dialogue Forum. "After that we are expected to leave for the airport, but the program won’t finish - traditionally, our president will meet with the former President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, after which he will leave for Russia," Ushakov said.

Ushakov added it would be a meeting of old friends. "They stay in constant touch, talk on the phone, and Berlusconi often visits Russia, as part of maintaining informal friendly contacts," the presidential aide explained.