Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized the importance of transatlantic unity and noted that she agrees with some of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s comments about Europe.
Meloni, leader of the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, stated on Saturday that she considers it her duty to defend transatlantic unity and “restore it if necessary.”
“Of course, there are disagreements on tariffs at the negotiating table, but for this very reason, I also believe that we must act not impulsively, but with reasoned arguments,” she said.
Just over 10% of Italy’s exports go to the U.S., half of which are machinery and related components. Meloni, whose party has a strong Euroskeptic stance, told the Financial Times on Friday that the U.S. is “Italy’s primary ally” and rejected the idea that Italy must choose between Europe and the U.S.
“Our relationship with the U.S. is the most important of all that we have,” she said.
She also supported U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s accusations that Europe has abandoned its commitments to free speech and democracy.
“I must say that I agree with this. I’ve been saying it for many years… Europe has somewhat lost itself,” Meloni said.
