Rome — Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that Europe needs the United States, and vice versa, as America’s top diplomat wrapped up two days of fence-mending talks in Italy and the Vatican after weeks of tension over the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
Tajani affirmed strong trans-Atlantic ties and said he hoped Rubio’s visit “has calmed tensions”. He said the two discussed the Iran war and incursions into Lebanon, as well as the situation in Venezuela and Cuba. The US Secretary of State also met Prime Minister Georgia Meloni on Friday.
“I believe things can go in the right direction,” Tajani said. “I am convinced that Europe needs America – Italy needs America – and the United States also needs Europe and Italy.”
His complaints about President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Europe’s reluctance to help the US in the Iran war and His attacks on Pope Leo XIV The two traditionally strong allies have been in sharp disagreement for weeks over trade and defense cooperation.
Tajani reaffirmed on Friday that Italy is ready to send its navy to help defuse the Strait of Hormuz and maintain its already strong presence in Lebanon with the UN peacekeeping mission if there is a permanent ceasefire with Iran. He said he told Rubio that Italy considered the presence of US troops in Europe important to strengthening NATO, a reference to Trump’s threat to withdraw US troops.
The State Department, for its part, said Rubio sought to “promote freedom of navigation and maritime security” as well as an end to the war in Ukraine and for Western countries to protect their economic interests.
Trump has criticized both the Pope and the Italian government for opposing the Iran war. Meloni has called the US-Israeli bombings “illegal” and Trump’s comments about the Pope as “unacceptable”.
Trump responded by accusing Meloney of lacking courage and being “negative” about helping the US in the war. Meloni was long seen as one of Trump’s top aides in Europe, but Trump has openly said that their relationship has cooled.
America has announced Decision to withdraw 5,000 military personnel from Germany And Trump has threatened to withdraw more troops from Italy and Spain over his stance on the war.
Italy, a major logistics hub for US and allied operations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, could see its role affected if troop levels are reduced, raising concerns about NATO’s position in southern Europe.
Defense cooperation had already been tested in late March, when Italy refused to allow American bombers bound for the Middle East to land at the Sigonella base in Sicily without parliamentary approval.
Italy’s constitution and treaties dictate the precise ways in which the bases can be used: they permit logistics and training operations within the NATO framework, but generally exclude direct offensive operations such as bombing, unless specifically authorized.
Meloni and Tajani have repeatedly said that Italy does not want to participate in the Iran conflict, and that if the US seeks permission to use Italian bases for offensive purposes, any decision must be approved by Parliament, where opposition to war is strong.
At stake for Rome are both its security partnership with Washington and the economic impact of the war. Meloni warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is increasing energy costs and reducing domestic purchasing power, while potential US tariff threats have raised concerns for Italy’s export-driven economy.
melonie is getting over it Defeat in referendum in March And he faced domestic opposition to the war, complicating his position.
Since taking office in 2022, Meloni has tried to present himself as a reliable US ally and a bridge between Washington and Europe, but disputes over Iran and trade and his recent political setbacks have exposed the limits of the role.
According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio made a two-and-a-half-hour visit to the Vatican on Thursday, including meetings with Leo and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to discuss “efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East” and other issues of mutual interest.
Both sides emphasized that Rubio’s meetings Leo and the Vatican’s top diplomat underlined strong bilateral ties.
US officials said the discussions highlighted the “strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See” and a shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.
