MOSCOW, March 13 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin will arrive in Rome on an official two-day visit later today, a Kremlin spokesman said Tuesday.

The Russian head of state will meet with the Italian president and prime minister, and will also be received by Pope Benedict XVI, Sergei Prikhodko said, adding that Putin will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other senior state and government officials.

"The main focus will be on current problems on the international agenda, including Russia's relations with the EU and NATO, the OSCE and the UN, the situation in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran's nuclear program, and Kosovo," Prikhodko said.

Wednesday, Putin and Prime Minister Romano Prodi will hold enlarged interstate consultations with the participation of the two countries' key ministers, Prikhodko said, adding that the new format was first tested in April 2003.

He said a joint communique will be issued at the end of Russian-Italian interstate consultations, and that nine documents will be signed, including agreements on bilateral cooperation in various spheres, both on the state level and between Russian and Italian companies and financial institutions.