Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has issued a statement expressing disagreement with US President Donald Trump's opinion on the role of European NATO allies in the war in Afghanistan. On Thursday, in an interview with Fox News, Trump downplayed the role of Europeans in the operation, saying they were "back from the front," BTA reported.
“The Italian government was surprised by President Trump's statements that NATO allies were "back from the front" during the operations in Afghanistan,“ Meloni said in a statement, quoted by Italian media, including “Messagerò“ and “Fato Quotidiano“.
“Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in its history in an extraordinary act of solidarity with the United States. In this large-scale operation against those who fueled terrorism, Italy responded immediately alongside its allies, deploying thousands of troops and assuming full responsibility for the Regional Command “West“ - one of the most significant operational areas of the entire international mission“, added Meloni.
“In nearly 20 years of commitment in Afghanistan, our nation has suffered a price that cannot be questioned“, highlighted Meloni and recalled that 53 Italian soldiers have died and over 700 Italian soldiers have been injured while participating in combat operations, security missions and training programs for Afghan forces.
“For this reason, statements that belittle the contribution of NATO countries in Afghanistan are unacceptable, especially when they come from an Allied country. Italy and the United States are linked by a solid friendship based on shared values and historical cooperation, which is even more necessary in the face of the many current challenges. But friendship requires respect - a fundamental condition to continue to guarantee the solidarity that underlies the North Atlantic Alliance“, Meloni concludes.
Before her, objections to Trump's words were also expressed by the Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. And before the reaction of the Italian rulers, sharp criticism of Trump came from representatives of the opposition.
Criticism was also heard from other European participants in the operations in Afghanistan, in particular from the British Prince Harry, who was at one point on this battlefield. Shortly after, Trump reversed his position and praised the courage of the British military who fought in Afghanistan.
In early January, during her annual press conference, Meloni said that when she disagrees with Trump on something, she does not fail to tell him directly. She recently said twice that his threats to impose tariffs on European countries over their stance on Greenland were a mistake. Trump ultimately abandoned the idea of tariffs.
But on Friday, during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Rome, Meloni said that if Trump's efforts lead to an end to the war in Ukraine, Italy would support the idea of awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the American president.