Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, considered one of Donald Trump's closest European allies, said on Thursday that she believes the newly elected US president will defend Western interests and will not abandon Ukraine, reports "Reuters"
Meloni recently visited Florida for an unannounced meeting with Trump, who praised her, calling her "a fantastic woman". At a press conference in Rome, she confirmed that she had received an invitation to Trump's inauguration on January 20 and expressed her desire to attend if her schedule allowed.
Meloni and her supporters hope that she can use her close relationship with Trump to strengthen ties between Washington and Europe over the next four years. At her press conference, she assured that there was no reason to worry that Trump would cut ties with the United States' traditional European allies.
Trump's comments this week that he would not rule out actions to acquire the Panama Canal and Greenland, as well as his idea of turning Canada into a U.S. state, have raised concerns in Western capitals. However, Meloni described these statements as an expression of commitment to protecting the strategic interests of the United States and the West.
"I do not expect the United States to try to annex territories by force, but Trump has made it clear that he will not allow key strategic areas to fall under the influence of foreign competitors, such as China," Meloni said.
Meloni dismissed speculation that Trump would end support for Ukraine and force it to accept unfavorable terms for peace with Russia. She stressed that the United States would continue to support Kiev because only by putting pressure on Moscow can a beneficial agreement be reached.
"Trump has the ability to balance diplomacy and deterrence, and I believe he will do it again," she said.
Meloni criticized Trump's promise to impose tariffs on global imports into the United States, calling it an inappropriate decision. However, she expressed hope that dialogue between the EU and the US could lead to mutually beneficial solutions.
Defense spending also remains a contentious issue. Trump has called on NATO member states to increase their military budgets to 5% of GDP, while Italy currently spends just 1.5%. Meloni noted that this issue is linked to European budgetary rules, which limit the possibilities for increasing defense spending.
"The European Union must identify appropriate instruments for competitive defense. At the moment, they are insufficient," she added.