Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni met the future president of the United States Donald Trump’s on Saturday night at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, in a meeting that was kept secret until the very end, and that not even all of Melon’s aides knew about.
The meeting came to light when La Stampa, which followed the route of the plane carrying the Italian prime minister, began to investigate the matter. Instead, Trump openly commented on the meeting to the media on Saturday.
“I am here with a fantastic woman, the Prime Minister of Italy. He has taken Europe by storm,” Trump said.
It was finally told to reporters from the Italian Prime Minister’s office, Palazzo Chigi, that Meloni had already requested a meeting with Trump a few weeks ago, but the future president had refused, citing his busy schedule. Finally, Meloni contacted his close ally, a Tesla billionaire belonging to Trump’s inner circle To Elon Muskwho organized the meeting.
The official publicized reason for the meeting was the Italian journalist Cecilia Hall imprisonment in Iran. The Iranians demand that the US request the engineer arrested in Italy Mohammad Abedin will be extradited to Iran, and Sala will be released afterwards. Undersecretary of State in the Italian Prime Minister’s Office Alfredo Mantovanon according to Elon Musk has a big role in the matter because Trump allegedly authorized him to negotiate with the Iranians.
According to Mantovano, Meloni and Trump also discussed the situation in Ukraine and the energy crisis threatening Europe.
“Giorgia Meloni is not going to oppose the Republican line,” the undersecretary of state told reporters.
He refers to the possible end of US aid to Ukraine.
Trump has also pushed EU countries to buy more American liquefied natural gas, LNG and crude oil. The topic is particularly sensitive for Melon, who has emphasized Italy’s energy purchases from, for example, Algeria and has also quietly started buying Russian natural gas again.
The timing of the meeting between Melon and Trum is exceptionally interesting because the sitting president of the United States Joe Biden will make his last European visit next week to Italy. From Thursday to Sunday, Biden, who is visiting Rome, will meet the Pope, Meloni and the Italian president Sergio Mattarellan.
Italian political commentators expect that at least support for Ukraine is at the top of the agenda. Biden is also expected to pressure the G7 country Italy to promote the use of funds frozen from Russia for the benefit of Ukraine.