Ukraine: Meloni criticises the Franco-German axis, calling for an authoritative EU envoy to lead the negotiations. She launches an attack on Vannacci, accusing him of voting with the left

Here he launches an attack on the E3 axis – France, Germany and the UK – which, together with Ukraine in London on Sunday, attempted to launch an initiative for dialogue with Russia. ‘Proceeding by trial and error with variable formats that are not adequately representative only leads to fragmentation, confusion and weakness.’ In short: it doesn’t work. Not least because ‘no format,’ he argues, ‘has the legitimacy to speak on behalf of the whole of Europe’. And “if there were fewer overlapping formats, fewer redundant meetings, but perhaps a few more exchanges on concrete responses, we might be able to make a more effective contribution to solving the problems”.

According to the Prime Minister, we must ‘help create the conditions for peace by working together with our allies to secure solid security guarantees for Ukraine; to achieve this objective, it is clearly essential to preserve Euro-Atlantic unity and strengthen coordination between Europe and the United States – a challenge that is not always easy but is necessary. However, coordination does not mean delegation. In any serious peace scenario between Ukraine and Russia, various conditions depend on Europe, concern Europe, impact on Europe, and it is up to Europe to negotiate them”.

The Italian proposal? “I continue to raise the issue of the need for Europe to engage in a joint and pragmatic discussion on how it should interact with Moscow.” The EU “must be ready to lead this dialogue; it would be a mistake to simply go along with it.” Meloni reiterates the idea of “identifying an authoritative figure entrusted with the confidence and mandate of all Member States to convey Europe’s point of view, and it is in this direction that I continue to work.”

On the thorny issue of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union – a process that other countries, such as Germany, are calling for to be accelerated – the Prime Minister has once again made it clear that Kyiv ‘must continue on its path of reform, particularly in strengthening the rule of law and combating corruption. And Italia will continue to accompany and support this process. But the accession process must proceed in accordance with the principles of merit and equal treatment for all candidate countries, including Moldova and the countries of the Western Balkans’.

On Iran, noting that the ongoing negotiations “are fragile” and reiterating once again that ‘Italia is not a party to the conflict, and does not intend to become one’, the Prime Minister highlighted the efforts to ensure the safety of our compatriots in the region and the work ‘towards the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz’: “We consider any attempt to unilaterally alter the rules guaranteeing free transit through the Strait to be unacceptable.” No, therefore, to “blackmail tactics”. Yes, however, to ‘a firm, coordinated and responsible response from the international community as a whole’. The Prime Minister reiterates the conditions for Italian participation in a mission: ‘Italia is willing to contribute to the necessary international efforts, including the technical and operational measures essential for the full restoration of maritime traffic, but always within a post-conflict framework, for exclusively defensive purposes, in accordance with the Constitution and the prerogatives of Parliament, as also demonstrated by the briefings from Ministers Tajani and Crosetto'.

For Meloni, the G7 summit opening on Monday in Evian is “an important opportunity to discuss with our partners – starting, of course, with US President Donald Trump – the outlook for this crisis, as well as that in Ukraine, and the measures needed to consolidate any possible diplomatic progress”. And then, at the European Council, work will be needed “to ensure the Union expresses a common, serious and credible position”. The Prime Minister highlights the tools at our disposal: the easing of sanctions – “gradual and reversible, but also swift” – if Tehran is persuaded to return to the negotiating table with a serious commitment; new targeted measures, should it fail to do so. Because the message, for Italia, must be clear: “The path of cooperation can yield benefits; the path of destabilisation brings consequences.”

Returning to the issue of the attacks on UNIFIL, which she has once again branded as ‘unacceptable’, Meloni then addresses the situation in Lebanon. The priority, she says, is “to support the political process launched with the decisive contribution of the United States and President Aoun’s courageous decision to accept the invitation to hold direct negotiations with Israel”. She attacks Hezbollah, reiterates that Israeli actions to target its leadership must ensure the maximum protection of the civilian population, and sets out her argument: ‘We believe that a political solution cannot be achieved without the disarmament of Hezbollah, just as it must provide for Israel’s withdrawal from the whole of southern Lebanon. These are two essential steps towards building a lasting security architecture.” Support, therefore, for the Lebanese armed forces, and aid for civilians: a new €15 million package has recently been released. And attention to the post-UNIFIL period to ensure an international presence in the country.

On relations with Israel, the Prime Minister hopes for ‘a dialogue capable of moving beyond the emphasis on facile controversy, which certainly yields immediate returns in terms of visibility, but does not reflect the strategic importance the issue holds for Italy’. She adds, not without a touch of sarcasm: ‘I would like to hope that the friendship between Italia and Israel, as well as Italia’s historic support for the rights of the Palestinian people and the need to pursue the two-state solution, are principles that we all share in this Chamber’. He then clarifies that the Government will support targeted measures against violent settlers and against Minister Ben Gvir for “the unacceptable behaviour he has displayed towards Italian citizens” (of the Flotilla, which she does not name) and for his equally ‘unacceptable’ statements about Italia. The Prime Minister notes that she is also awaiting the European Commission’s proposals on possible restrictions on products from the settlements, ‘which we will assess on their merits, including from a technical and legal perspective’. But she warns: “The isolation of Israel is a dangerous phenomenon, which pushes peace further away, makes it more difficult, and ultimately strengthens the most extremist positions both in Israel and among Israel’s enemies, who have always worked towards that isolation.” He therefore rejects the idea of suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement: “Punishing Israeli civil society with restrictive measures would not only be wrong, it would be counterproductive.”

Recalling the fiscal flexibility secured for expenditure to tackle the energy crisis and hinting that a package of fundable measures will be finalised shortly, Meloni did not hold back: Gone are the days when Italia, in order to gain greater budgetary flexibility, had to declare itself willing to accept more illegal immigrants on its territory. Those were different times. Today, we have a government that is managing to secure greater flexibility to meet the practical needs of citizens, even as it can boast an 80 per cent reduction in the number of illegal immigrants landing on its shores. This refrain against irregular immigration is one the Prime Minister repeats often, all the more so now that the centre-right must guard against competition from General Vannacci.

There is no shortage of scathing criticism directed at the bureaucrats who are holding up the implementation of decisions taken by the European Council: ‘They are not accountable to anyone for their decisions, and perhaps that is one reason why they have ended up losing touch with reality.’ At the specific session of the summit, the Prime Minister will once again call for an urgent review of the ETS system, as evidence of a political and strategic shift in Europe: ‘From a focus on reducing the impact on energy prices, we are gradually moving towards the possible introduction of new mechanisms that could even end up blocking the system, rather than simplifying it, as was required.’ But the road ahead is all uphill.

With regard to international trade, which has been severely affected by US tariffs, Meloni urges the European Union to strengthen ‘its trade defence instruments, so as to ensure fair competition, protect production capacity and safeguard jobs and investment’. But defence in general has become a priority: here, the Prime Minister maintains that the Government’s choice has been that of ‘truth’: ‘To explain to citizens that today, more than ever, it is necessary to invest in our own defence to ensure our ability to stand our ground, make independent decisions and defend our interests’.

The way forward is to strengthen the industrial base and key partnerships: with other NATO members, but not only them. She cites the Gulf states, Japan (Prime Minister Takaichi is due to visit Rome on Monday), India and South Korea, whose President Jae-Myung arrives in Rome this evening for tomorrow’s bilateral meeting. This confirms the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region on the global stage. At the NATO summit scheduled for 7–8 July in Ankara, Meloni assures us, Italia will be in full compliance with the commitments made last year: ‘A percentage of 2.8% of its GDP invested in defence and security, marking an increase of 0.71%, which is guaranteed, however, primarily by expenditure related to internal security’.

One of the new developments at the upcoming European Council is that, for the first time, the figures for the next budget for 2028–2034 will be discussed. Meloni is reiterating Italia’s conditions. The first: ‘We will not accept a budget under which, despite higher contributions, Italia risks having fewer resources at its disposal.’ The second: ‘The so-called “rebates” must be abolished. If this anachronistic system is retained, we will demand that, as the third-largest net contributor to the EU budget, Italia too should enjoy the same privilege’. The third: ‘Those who wish to fund new priorities by cutting traditional policies must look elsewhere. For our part, we are ready to invest in competitiveness and defence, but this cannot be done at the expense of the CAP, Fisheries and Cohesion’. Rather, the Prime Minister argues, ‘we should start by cutting expenditure on the European administration, which in the Commission’s proposal is set to increase by more than 20%’. As for the so-called ‘new resources’, the Prime Minister is open to some of the proposals on the table, such as a levy on profits derived from cryptocurrencies or forms of a European digital tax.

She expresses her full scepticism regarding environmental conditionalities, that Dash (Do no significant harm) which Italia has suffered so much from, including during the implementation of the NRRP. But, above all, Meloni is passionate about respect for the rule of law. ‘Before the opposition brings out its ridiculous arsenal of accusations about an illiberal government,’ she declares in the Chamber, ‘I want to reiterate something that is self-evident to anyone with a shred of intellectual honesty: this government is not against the rule of law. Far from it. This government knows, however, that in Western civilisation the foundation of the rule of law is equality before the law.” Meloni turns the argument on its head and takes aim at Brussels: “It is inconceivable that an informal document, the Annual Report on the Rule of Law, drawn up by Commission officials on the basis of newspaper articles rather than judicial rulings, can take on a binding character capable of blocking, without any opportunity for a hearing, the disbursement of funds to a Member State.” The reference to Hungary is implicit. For Meloni, “it should give pause for thought that countries accused of violating the rule of law when governed by majorities deemed unwelcome suddenly become fully in line with European principles upon a change of government, even though the contested laws remain unchanged”.