Italy summoned Russia's ambassador on Saturday after Moscow announced it was putting a subsidiary of Italian heating firm Ariston Thermo Group under the "temporary management" of state energy giant Gazprom.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani requested clarification on the matter of the nationalisation of the Ariston Thermo Group. He summoned Russia's ambassador and stated that Italy was collaborating with Brussels and Germany, as Bosch was also targeted.
An EU spokesman condemned the measure as "yet another proof of Russia's disregard for international law and rules" and called on Moscow to reverse it.
The move was announced in a Russian decree published on Friday, signed by President Vladimir Putin. It transfers control over 100% of the shares in the Russian companies Ariston Thermo Rus and BSH Household Appliances to Gazprom Household Systems, a subsidiary of Gazprom.
Since invading Ukraine, Moscow has taken the Russian subsidiaries of a number of Western companies under what it calls "temporary management control."
Western officials and some of the companies have criticized Moscow's "nationalisation" of private property.
The EU spokesperson said Saturday: "Russia confirms to be an unp