ROME, November 13. /TASS/. Italian pop singer Al Bano has long dreamed of returning to Russia, he told a TASS correspondent, expressing his affection for the Russian people and his desire to perform on Red Square as soon as the conflict in Ukraine concludes.

"I am a man of peace. As soon as the conflict ends, I would like to sing on Red Square," he said, adding that there are no specific plans or proposals yet.

Earlier, in an interview with Il Fatto Quotidiano, Al Bano stated he was willing to perform in Donbass, acknowledging that he considers these territories to have always been Russian. "It was just a question from the reporter, and I answered," Al Bano explained. When asked by TASS if he feared criticism or being added to Ukraine’s list of undesirable persons, the musician responded, "I only stated the historical truth. It’s not just my opinion. I would certainly not resort to arms to defend it," he told the agency.

Al Bano has performed numerous times in Moscow and other regions of Russia. He reunited on stage with his former wife, Romina Power - whose marriage and musical partnership with him ended in 1999 - to deliver a major performance in Moscow. Since then, they have performed together as a duo, including at the Sanremo Festival, which originally brought them widespread fame.

At first, Al Bano was critical of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine and stated that he would "never return to Russia again" because of it. However, this March, he revealed his dream of visiting Russia once more.