Italian govt asks companies not to hold meeting with Russia's Putin -official

Rome has asked companies not to participate in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday aimed at boosting business ties between the two countries, a government official said.

The meeting, originally scheduled for November, will be via a video link and feature top managers at firms like power company Enel and lender UniCredit, according to sources who had seen the list.

The government official added the meeting was a private initiative and that there was no government involvement in it.