President Trump’s Strategic Steps to Enhance Europe’s Security and Improve Relations with Europe
Rome, March 21 – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is trying to maintain a political balance amid ongoing tensions over strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities. As a nationalist who holds deep respect for U.S. President Donald Trump, Meloni is struggling to reconcile her ideological tendencies with Italy’s strategic relationship with the European Union (EU).
Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump’s inauguration and has expressed admiration for his strategic policies. However, despite her participation in urgent discussions with European counterparts, her involvement has occasionally seemed reluctant, which, according to domestic critics, is isolating Italy within the EU.
Ahead of last week’s European leaders' summit, Meloni commented, “I do not blindly follow either Europe or America... I am in Europe because Italy is in Europe, but I want Western nations to remain united.”
Meloni, who came to power in 2023, has built close relations with the United States since founding the "Brothers of Italy" party in 2012, though her initial strong Euroscepticism toward the European Union has significantly softened. Nevertheless, Trump’s aggressive diplomatic strategies have forced Europe to reconsider its geopolitical options.
Meanwhile, the European Commission is preparing plans to increase spending on Europe’s defense sector by 800 billion euros ($869 billion). Meloni has expressed hesitation about participating in the European defense project "REARM." Like many of Italy’s opposition leaders, she faces low public support for such spending, especially due to Pope Francis’s anti-war stance.
However, under pressure from President Trump, Meloni may find it difficult to refuse participation in the EU’s defense initiatives, as Italy’s major defense industries, such as Leonardo and Fincantieri, could benefit from international defense trade.
It is a tense time, as balancing relations with America on one side and maintaining the strategic importance of Europe on the other presents a significant challenge for Meloni.
