"In the meeting with President Mattarella, the two presidents discussed a wide range of issues, including the countries' diplomatic and defense cooperation, ways boost their future-oriented cooperation, conditions on the Korean Peninsula and their global cooperation," Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.

"President Moon thoroughly explained our government's efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and establish peace, and President Mattarella highly evaluated President Moon's leadership in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula," it said in a press release.

The talks between the two leaders follows an welcome ceremony for Moon, who is currently on the second leg of his five-nation European tour that earlier took him to Paris.

The South Korean leader will later begin an official visit to the Vatican where he will attend a special mass to be presided by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

He will meet Pope Francis on Thursday before heading to Brussels for the biennial Asia-Europe Meeting that will bring together the leaders of 50 other Asian and European nations.

Moon's trip will end in Denmark on Saturday.  (Yonhap)