YALTA, April 20. /TASS/. There is hope that sanctions against Russia, imposed by the European Union in 2014, will be removed soon, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said in a message to participants in the Yalta International Economic Forum (YIEF).

According to Berlusconi, Rome and Moscow share a long history of bilateral relations and cooperation. "A vast delegation represents Italy at the forum, while I will clarify the participants’ position before the Italian parliament," he added. "There is a need to give a new impetus to relations between our countries."

"I also hope that sanctions on Russia will be lifted as soon as possible," Berlusconi noted. "I hope that US President Donald Trump will come to understand the need for that."

"I am confident that from the point of view of bilateral relations, all the bureaucratic barriers need to be removed so that mutually beneficial ties could develop further," the former Italian prime minister said.

The Third Yalta International Economic Forum is taking place in the Crimean city of Yalta on April 20-22, around 1,500 people are participating. TASS is the forum’s strategic information partner.