ROME, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Russia's war of aggression on

Ukraine is unlikely to end this year, Italian Foreign Minister

Antonio Tajani said on Thursday.

"The war isn't going to end as soon as some people said and

believed ... I don't want to be a pessimist but I don't think

there can be solutions before the end of the year," he said

after a cabinet meeting in Rome.

Tajani also said that "if Russia continues like this, it is

clear there will have to be new sanctions".

At least 18 people, including four children, were killed in

Kyiv on Thursday following Russian missile and drone strikes

that also damaged the European Union's mission and British

Council offices in the Ukrainian capital.

(Writing by Alvise Armellini, editing by Gavin Jones)