Meloni brings together the US and the EU, ‘dialogue for a new beginning’

Brussels (ANSA) – The Italian “bridge” brings the US and the EU to a round white table for about an hour at Palazzo Chigi. In the middle Giorgia Meloni, to her right JD Vance, to her left Ursula von der Leyen: it is “the beginning of a dialogue” that the parties want to lead to a trade agreement between Washington and Brussels after the tariff crisis. A month after the visit to the White House where she invited the American president to Italy with the idea of a US-EU summit, the prime minister orchestrates a diplomatic coup of which she does not hide her satisfaction.

The “problems to overcome” are on the table, Meloni admits at the beginning of the meeting, but “the relations between Europe and the United States are fundamental within a West that wants to maintain its unity, its strength, and must still be able to chart the course.” And in the end, she emphasizes that the discussion has been “constructive.” Now on the European front, the negotiation is in the hands of the Commission, which has the competence in trade matters.

At the beginning of July, the three-month suspension of tariffs expires, and that is the horizon for an agreement. On Ukraine, von der Leyen thanks Vance for his commitment to stopping the conflict and reaching a “just and lasting peace” for Kiev, and acknowledges that Europeans must “increase defense investments.” However, the focus is mainly on tariffs, following the suspension of rates and weeks dedicated by the respective technicians to deepening the exchange of documents on the trade dossier.

“In the details – emphasizes the president of the EU executive -, because the devil is in the details: we want to have a good agreement for both. We are confident that we will succeed.” The same goal is declared by Vance, who hopes “this is the beginning of negotiations for long-term trade benefits between the US and the EU.” The coming weeks will tell how far or close the possibility of reaching an agreement is, which, Trump said a month ago while hosting Meloni in the Oval Office, “will be done 100%” (May 18).