MILAN, September 14. /TASS/. Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Matteo Salvini believes that returning to Russian gas purchases will be possible once the conflict in Ukraine is over.

"It will be possible to resume purchasing Russian gas after the conflict ends. We need to find a diplomatic solution – not by sending weapons, but by supporting the negotiation process," Salvini said in an interview with TASS and Vesti.

The politician, who leads the League party within the ruling coalition, noted that geopolitical crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have pushed European fuel prices excessively high. He stated that the Italian government has already spent €3 billion to mitigate the price surge by cutting excise taxes. Salvini also pointed out that Italy currently lacks nuclear power, while the government is attempting to reverse the country's nuclear phase-out, the process will take time.