Meloni meets Rubio as Iran war strains Italy-US ties
Key takeaways
- Add ARY News on Google AAResize ROME: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met U.S.
- Before heading to the prime minister’s office, Rubio met Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who said the talks had been positive.
- “I am convinced that Europe needs America, Italy needs America, but the United States also needs Europe and Italy,” Tajani told reporters.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize ROME: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday at a moment of unusual strain between her government and President Donald Trump’s administration, driven largely by the war with Iran.
Rubio is in Italy for a two-day trip aimed at easing ties with Pope Leo after unprecedented attacks on the pontiff by Trump, while also addressing Washington’s frustration over Italy’s refusal to support the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Meloni had been one of Trump’s firmest supporters in Europe, cultivating close ties with him and presenting herself as a natural bridge between Washington and other EU states that had no natural political affinity with the Republican U.S. leader.