League party leader Matteo Salvini (C) speaks next to President of Fratelli d'Italia party (Brothers of Italy) Giorgia Meloni (L) and Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi following a talk with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale palace in Rome, Italy, May 7, 2018. Italian Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS

ROME (Reuters) - Negotiations on forming a coalition government between the far-right League and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement are going well and a deal could be wrapped up soon, the two parties said in a joint statement on Thursday.

“Significant steps forward have been made on the composition of the government and on the (nomination) of a prime minister,” the statement said following a meeting between League leader Matteo Salvini and 5-Star chief Luigi Di Maio.

“...the aim is to define everything in a short space of time to provide answers and a political government quickly to the nation,” the statement added. The talks, which kicked off on Wednesday, look set to end nine weeks of political deadlock.