 During the 2008 South Ossetia war, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini said "We cannot create an anti-Russia coalition in Europe, and on this point we are close to Putin's position" he also stressed that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was a close ally of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia.On 8 August, the Italian Government issued a statement reporting that "In close coordination with its European Union and Atlantic partners, the Italian Government is following the crisis situation that has developed in South Ossetia with grave concern" and that "Italy calls on all parties to bring an immediate end to the violence and reach a lasting cessation of hostilities.It strongly encourages a resumption of negotiations for a political solution to the problem with due respect for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity".