“DIFFICULT PERIOD”
Russia’s war in Ukraine could be a touchy subject, however.
Italian newspapers on Wednesday floated the possibility that Meloni could end up in a trap similar to the White House meeting in February with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which Trump and his Vice President JD Vance berated their guest in front of reporters.
Meloni has been a staunch ally of Ukraine and Zelenskyy since Russia’s invasion of the country in 2022, most recently calling Moscow’s Palm Sunday attack on the city of Sumy “horrible and vile”.
Meloni has acknowledged the uncertainty weighing on her trip.
“We know we’re going through a difficult period, let’s see how it goes in the coming hours. I don’t feel any pressure, as you can imagine, for my next two days, let’s say,” she joked at an awards ceremony for Italian goods on Tuesday.
“Surely, I am aware of what I represent and I am aware of what I am defending,” she added.
Italian newspapers reported that one of the goals of Meloni’s visit was to pave the way for a meeting between Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
