Meloni sees Rubio: 'Frank dialogue between allies who defend national interests'

the meeting between the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, ended late this morning at Palazzo Chigi. The meeting lasted an hour and a half. "Today I was pleased to receive US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Palazzo Chigi. We had a broad and constructive discussion, during which we addressed numerous issues, from bilateral relations between Italia and the United States to major international issues, including the crisis in the Middle East, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the stabilisation of Libya and the peace process in Lebanon and Ukraine. A frank dialogue, between allies who defend their national interests but who both know how precious the unity of the West is'. This was written and reiterated in a press point by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

US Secretary of State Rubio said that no specific details have been discussed regarding the withdrawal of US troops in Italia, claiming that that is US President Donald Trump's decision. "We have not discussed specific details like that, and that's a decision for the president to make. It's a decision that every president makes,' Rubio said, responding to the US press asking whether in his meeting with Meloni he had discussed the possibility of withdrawing US troops from Italia, as well as the possibility of the US withdrawing from Nato altogether. The meeting between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ended late this morning at Palazzo Chigi. The meeting lasted an hour and a half. Before the face-to-face meeting with the premier, Rubio had a bilateral behind closed doors with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The meeting took place at the Farnesina

"We expect further talks" between Israel and Lebanon next week, "this is one of the areas where I believe we can cooperate with Italia, which can play a very productive and constructive role in providing resources to the Lebanese government. At the end of the day, we all share the same goal. And by 'all' I mean both the Lebanese and Israeli governments: we want relations between Israel and Lebanon, its legitimate government, to be very solid,' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with Fox News from Rome after meetings today with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

"I believe that Italy and other countries, but especially Italia, can play an important role not only in helping the Lebanese government" "to find the necessary resources, but also in blocking the illicit funding that supports Hezbollah and the danger it represents" because "the obstacle is Hezbollah," Rubio stressed. "Once again, an Iranian agent, Hezbollah, which not only affects the Israelis, but also Lebanon" and is "the reason why Lebanon suffers attacks and violence. It is Hezbollah that imposes this situation'.

"We remain ready to mediate, but we don't want to waste time if efforts don't move forward," Rubio later said in response to a question about the war in Ukraine at a press point at the US embassy in Rome.