The choreography is certainly unprecedented. On one side, the Stars and Stripes; on the other, the European Union flag. In the middle, the Italian tricolour—despite Italy being one of the founding countries of the European project. Yet, on this occasion, Giorgia Meloni positioned herself as a third party, seated between U.S. Vice President JD Vance and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “Italy intends to play its part in revitalizing dialogue between the EU and the United States,” the Prime Minister told reporters before the meeting began.
In his brief remarks, Vance noted, “One of the things Prime Minister Meloni offered to do—and which President Trump and I were, of course, pleased to accept—is truly to build bridges between Europe and the United States. I appreciate Giorgia Meloni’s hospitality and the fact that Ursula von der Leyen is here and willing to initiate this dialogue.” In fact, the Commission President had been pursuing this moment for four months—ever since Trump returned to the White House.
Moreover, according to Adnkronos, Meloni spoke on the phone with the U.S. President on Saturday. The topic: the remote meeting scheduled for today between Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Yesterday, however, the Prime Minister did not present the “trilateral” at Palazzo Chigi as a response to criticism from the domestic opposition or to the concerns expressed by other European leaders over her absence from recent summits involving France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland. That narrative was left to other members of the government, such as Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, who reaffirmed Italy’s “central role.”