The Kremlin said on Wednesday it hoped Russia and Italy would maintain positive and constructive ties despite the arrest of a Russian official in Rome in a spying case.

Italy has expelled two Russian officials involved in suspected spying, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday after summoning the Russian ambassador over the affair.

Italian police said earlier they had arrested an Italian navy captain and a Russian diplomat on suspicion of spying after the two were caught swapping documents for money at a clandestine meeting.

Moscow later promised a reciprocal response after Italy said it had expelled two Russian officials, the Interfax news agency cited a Russian lawmaker as saying.

(With input from Reuters, AFP)