Rubio sees premier, first steps for thaw

To Marco Rubio's olive branch, Giorgia Meloni will respond today with courtesy, but without taking out of the wardrobe the EU-US bridging dress she wore until a few months ago. It is too early to celebrate a hasty thaw. The attacks by Donald Trump on the PM himself and Pope Leo XIV are still fresh, as evident are the economic costs of the war in Iran, launched by Trump and Netanyahu without even warning the Europeans.

There will be no joint statements, because this is not a meeting between counterparts, but a 'courtesy visit', as the government continues to call it. With a key premise that the Prime Minister will hand over to the US Secretary of State when she enters the door of Palazzo Chigi at 11.30 am: Italia remains a convinced supporter of transatlantic relations, NATO and the unity of the West. The dialogue with the United States remains crucial, the economic and cultural interconnections strong. But Meloni, after having paid with her defeat in the referendum the price of embracing Trump, who is increasingly unpopular, no longer intends to immolate herself in defence of the tycoon: the axis with her European partners, starting with France, Germany and Great Britain, has become crucial.

"Friendship between allied countries requires respect," the Prime Minister will repeat to Rubio, as she had reminded Trump at the end of January, after The Donald had called the contribution of European soldiers in Afghanistan "useless". Rome will continue to point out to Washington when it is wrong. It did so after the lunges against the pontiff (yesterday's meeting in the Vatican will be discussed) and also a few days ago, before the announcement of the US disengagement from bases in Germany, Spain and Italia.

This is the line agreed upon by Meloni at Wednesday's summit with her deputies, the blue Antonio Tajani and the leghist Matteo Salvini, and with the leader of Noi Moderati, Maurizio Lupi. Tajani, who is expecting Rubio at the Farnesina at 10.00 a.m. (a conversation with the Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto, may also take place), will precede the face-to-face by the launch of the Rome Coalition for Food Security and Fertilisers (see p. 6).

Hormuz, the Middle East and the Gulf will be the focus of the meetings: Meloni will ask Rubio (the most institutional face of the US administration, therefore a useful channel with the Republicans) about the glimmers of peace and about US intentions, clarifying that after the ceasefire and subject to the approval of Parliament, Italia is willing to participate in an international mission, in particular for mine clearance, with two mine-hunting ships, a frigate and a logistic support unit. Tajani and Crosetto have said they are ready to inform Parliament about the situation in the Strait and have written to the chairmen of the Foreign Affairs and Defence committees, where they are expected to appear on Wednesday. A first step only to allow ships to move out of Italian ports. Should the truce become a reality and the operation take off, on the other hand, communications with a vote on a resolution will be needed to obtain the actual green light from parliamentarians.