The Meloni-Abdullah meeting. On Monday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had a “very cordial meeting” in her Roman offices with Jordan’s King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, according to an official statement. The leaders discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and zeroed in on “possible initiatives to prevent the current crisis from widening.”
- Italy’s deputy PM and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, and his Jordanian homologue, Ayman Safadi, were also in attendance.
Short and long-term solutions. Italy and Jordan “are in the front line to facilitate the solution of the most urgent humanitarian problems and the release of hostages,” reads the statement. During their meeting, the leaders also exchanged views on the need to “relaunch a political horizon with the legitimate Palestinian Authorities for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.”
- Rome and Amman’s traditionally strong friendship “can contribute to addressing the region’s complex challenges.”
A wider diplomatic push. Rome is working with multiple allies to promote de-escalation and prevent the crisis from spreading in the region, a risk Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said is “absolutely real.” PM Meloni engaged in talks through the Quint format and bilaterally, seeking to leverage Italy’s good ties with Middle Eastern countries to work for a diplomatic solution.
- Over the past week, she had reached out to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, his Lebanese homologue Najib Mikati, and the heads of State and government in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt.
- Meanwhile, FM Tajani went on a diplomatic tour through Egypt, Israel and Jordan, where he engaged with his local homologues and contacted those from Algeria, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
