Decoding the news. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with US Vice President J.D. Vance in Rome on Friday, less than 24 hours after visiting Washington for talks with President Donald Trump.
- The two meetings triggered concern in Brussels but aimed to showcase Italy as a transatlantic asset, not a wedge.
- Meloni navigates a complex geopolitical balancing act by staying close to Trump without isolating European allies.
Faith and symbolism. Vance, the first Catholic Vice President elected from the Republican Party, is in Rome for Easter with his family.
- He’s attending Holy Week liturgies and meeting Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
- While no official audience with Pope Francis is planned, Vatican insiders suggest a brief encounter may occur.
Between the lines. “We believe Italy can be a key partner for the US in Europe and the Mediterranean,” Meloni said, calling the relationship with the US “privileged and strategic.”
- Vance praised the “beautiful friendship” between the two countries — and joked about Meloni’s Italian-language welcome: “Even if she insulted me, it would be in the most beautiful language imaginable.”
- Vance confirmed ongoing trade talks between Rome, Washington, and the broader EU bloc.
- Meloni emphasised that Italy wants to be seen as a “reliable partner” amid ongoing tariff discussions and economic realignments.
- The EU may benefit from the visit by creating a more favourable negotiating atmosphere, but there have been no concrete breakthroughs yet.
Yes but… “There’s a political climate benefit,” retired ambassador Rocco Cangelosi told our sister website Formiche.net, “but nothing concrete so far, as Trump will ultimately decide based on his interests.”
- Cangelosi, who has served as Italian Permanent Representative to the European Union and diplomatic adviser to the President of the Republic, added: “There’s clear ideological affinity, yes, but Trump is still sticking to his tariff stance — and any change will depend on domestic factors like market stress and consumer impact.”
Ukraine lens. Vance signalled cautious optimism on the war in Ukraine.
- “We’re hopeful that this brutal war may be nearing an end,” he told reporters, noting that he had updates for Meloni on recent diplomatic efforts in Paris.
The energy pivot. During Thursday’s meeting with Trump and today’s discussions, energy security was front and centre.
- The leaders discussed LNG and civil nuclear cooperation as areas of potential US-Italy-EU trilateral alignment.
- Trump endorsed Italy’s role as an energy “bridge” between North America and Europe.
Strategic depth. Italy’s activism in the Mediterranean is also increasingly seen in Washington as a strategic multiplier.
- “For the United States, having a friendly country perceived as such by Arab or African coastal powers and actively engaged in the region — as the Mattei Plan shows — is a mutual advantage worth cultivating,” said Stefania Craxi, chair of the Senate’s Foreign and Defense Affairs Committee.
- She added: “Italy gains centrality in both the transatlantic and European frameworks when it contributes to peace, stability, and growth across the broader Mediterranean.”
Looms for a wider cooperation. The United States–Italy Joint Leaders’ Statement after the White House meeting reaffirmed shared priorities.
- Security: enhancing NATO coordination, countering hybrid threats, and engaging in global crises.
- Shared prosperity: expanding investment ties, resilient supply chains, and sustainable energy transitions.
- Technology: cooperation on AI, semiconductors, and space, anchored in open and secure digital ecosystems.
What we’re watching. EU leaders closely monitor Vance’s tone in Rome, following sharp critiques of Europe.
- Trump has accepted Meloni’s invitation to visit Rome, potentially continuing talks on trade and energy diplomacy and further testing Italy’s multiple roles as a US partner, EU stakeholder, MENA, and Indo-Mediterranean player.
- Rome will host US-Iran nuclear talks on Saturday, and Italy’s foreign minister is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with all major delegations.
