ROME 

Italy will not abandon the Ukrainian people amid the conflict with Russia, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in Kyiv on Thursday, state news agency ANSA said.

Di Maio stressed that it is essential to pursue a diplomatic solution to the war, "to restore peace and defend democracy."

The Italian minister reiterated that Italy has chosen to be on the side of the Ukrainian people in a war that has now reached its sixth month.

During his visit Di Maio also stopped in the city of Irpin, noting that it was completely “destroyed and razed to the ground” by Russian troops.

"We could not fail to help and support these people, providing them with all the possible aid to defend themselves,” Di Maio said. “Ukrainians are not only defending themselves, but they are defending the freedom of all Europe.”

Italy has provided military equipment to Ukraine during the war against Russia, but also financial and humanitarian aid.

“We have been one of the countries that helped the Ukrainian resistance more: we gave important financial aid to this government and important humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people,” Di Maio said.