MILAN (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday called for “pragmatism” to prevent an EU-US dispute over tariffs from escalating into a full-scale trade war, and expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Speaking to the Italian Senate ahead of a meeting of EU leaders this week, Meloni made her first wide-ranging comments touching on Trump policies that have shaken Europe in the two months since he took office.
Meloni struck a diplomatic tone on tariffs and expressed favor for Trump’s moves to establish a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine as a possible pathway to end the war in Ukraine. She also ruled out sending Italian troops to Ukraine, and spoke against the proposal for a security force by Britain and France. And she pledged to forge ahead with a controversial and stalled plan to vet migrants outside of the EU borders in Albania.
On Ukraine
“We support the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump in this sense,” she said, adding that the proposed ceasefire deal ”is a first significant step in a path that must lead to a justice and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Meloni also ruled out sending Italian troops to Ukraine, saying “it is not on the agenda.”
“We believe that the dispatch of European troops proposed in a draft by Britain and France is a very complex, risky and ineffective option,” she said.
On tariffs
Meloni said she hoped that a trade war with the United States can be avoided, after the EU responded to U.S. tariffs on steel with tariffs on American whiskey and spirits. Italian winemakers, whose exports to the U.S. last year grew to 2 billion euros, are among those bracing for threatened tariffs of up to 200% should the EU tariffs take effect on April 1.
“I am convinced that we need to work concretely and with pragmatism to find common ground and avoid a trade war that would not benefit anyone, not the United States, and not Europe,’’ Meloni said. She warned against retaliatory tariffs “that become a vicious circle where everyone loses.”
On migration
Meloni said Italy is determined to operate centers in Albania that it built last year to screen asylum seekers, saying she has received support for the project from other EU governments. The project has been stalled after Italian courts refused to approve deportation proceedings, which has been referred to the EU Court of Justice.
“I hope that the court will avoid the risk of compromising the repatriation policies not only of Italy, but all EU member states,” she said, adding that it would ”undermine the very stability of Europe.”
