Meloni’s visit to US could affect Trump’s position on Ukraine - Politico
European officials are watching with concern the visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to Washington, D.C., where she will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday amid tense trade talks.
According to Censor.NET, Politico reports.
"Despite the reservations, Brussels recognizes that Meloni can be a key mediator in easing transatlantic tensions. At the same time, European leaders hope that she will be able to persuade Trump to avoid an aggravation of the trade conflict, in particular new tariffs, and influence his vision of resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine," the article says.
According to the publication, Meloni, who has close ties to Italian right-wing circles, has also shown the ability to cooperate constructively with European partners. Analysts believe that she has a unique position that allows her to establish a dialog with Trump on behalf of both Italy and the wider European community.
"In Brussels and other European capitals, they are very nervous about what Maloni is trying to do. But they're desperate enough that they're not trying to stop her," said former US State Department official Jeremy Shapiro.
Trump, who has publicly called Meloni a "wonderful person" and invited her to his inauguration, traditionally attaches great importance to personal relationships in diplomacy. One White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that for Trump, the meeting itself was evidence of his belief that it was because of the tariffs that other leaders were meeting him halfway.
European diplomats, however, fear the political "optics" of the visit, in particular how it will look against the backdrop of Trump's recent statements that "countries are calling and kissing my ass" after he temporarily suspended the expansion of the tariff regime.
The fact that Meloni shares some of Trump's political views, especially in the context of domestic policy, also causes some distrust in European capitals. This gives her the opportunity to talk to the head of the White House in a way that is not available to leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron or British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"She is perceived as a transatlanticist, but she also shares a common vision with Trump and his team, especially on the domestic political front. She finds common ground with them. The same goes for her contacts with Elon Musk. This gives her an advantage in dealing with Trump that other European leaders do not have," explained Rachel Rizzo, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's European Center for the Americas.
Dissatisfaction in the EU is also caused by the fact that Maloney is acting on his own, while other European leaders have failed to arrange their own meetings with Trump. According to one European official, there is a risk that such a diplomatic approach could unbalance the internal unity of the EU.
In particular, the European Union fears that any individual concessions by Italy, for example, in the area of tariffs, could reduce the EU's joint leverage in negotiations with the United States. At the same time, Meloni's office confirmed that she had held consultations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to coordinate her position before the visit.
Meloni's position on Ukraine remains firm, and, according to Shapiro, she is "much tougher on Russia than expected." At the same time, Brussels does not rule out that internal pressure in Italy and the economic consequences of the war may force her to reconsider her support for Kyiv.
"She skillfully balances between different political lines and hasn't alienated anyone yet, which has given her credibility. But there is a concern that she may not publicly signal to Trump that she agrees to ease sanctions against Russia. In this case, the EU sanctions front could be seriously shaken," Shapiro added.
Previous efforts by European leaders to influence Trump's position on the war in Ukraine or to persuade him to avoid direct contact with Russia have failed. If Maloney does try to change his approach, he will likely do so behind closed doors, after the cameras have left the Oval Office.
For Trump, this will create an opportunity to show that despite his harsh rhetoric against the EU, he maintains good relations with individual European leaders.
"The president doesn't see the EU as a coherent player in the negotiations," said a White House official on condition of anonymity.
"He believes that the EU is harmful to the United States. But he is willing to build personal relationships with individual leaders. And he has developed a close relationship with Meloni."
