Rubio in Italy for Fence-Mending Visit 05/08 06:16

   

   ROME (AP) -- Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he told U.S. 
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that Europe needs the United States, 
and vice versa, as America's top diplomat wrapped up two days of fence-mending 
talks in Italy and the Vatican following weeks of tensions over the 
U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.

   Tajani reaffirmed strong trans-Atlantic ties and said he hoped "tensions 
have been calmed" with Rubio's visit. He said the two discussed the Iran war 
and spillover into Lebanon, as well as the situation in Venezuela and Cuba. The 
U.S. secretary of state also met Friday with Premier Giorgia Meloni.

   "I believe things can go in the right direction," Tajani said. "I am 
convinced Europe needs America -- Italy needs America -- and the United States 
also needs Europe and Italy."

   President Donald Trump's tariffs, his complaints about Europe's 
unwillingness to help the U.S. with the Iran war and his attacks on Pope Leo 
XIV have fueled weeks of sharp disagreements over trade and defense cooperation 
between the two traditionally strong allies.

   Tajani reaffirmed Friday that Italy stood ready to send in its navy to help 
demine the Strait of Hormuz once a permanent ceasefire is reached with Iran, 
and to maintain its already strong presence in Lebanon with the U.N. 
peacekeeping mission. He said he told Rubio that Italy considers the presence 
of U.S. troops in Europe to reinforce NATO important, a reference to Trump's 
threats to pull back America's troops.

   The State Department, for its part, said Rubio raised efforts to "promote 
freedom of navigation and maritime security," as well as a need for an end to 
the war in Ukraine, and for Western nations to protect their economic interests.

   Trump has criticized both the pope and Italy's government for opposing the 
Iran war. Meloni has called the U.S.-Israeli bombing "illegal" and rebuked 
Trump's remarks about the pontiff as "unacceptable."

   Trump has responded by accusing Meloni of lacking courage and being 
"negative" on helping the U.S. with the war. Meloni had long been seen as one 
of Trump's top allies in Europe, but Trump has openly said their relationship 
has cooled.

   Italy remains firmly opposed to Iran war

   The U.S. has announced a decision to pull 5,000 military personnel from 
Germany and Trump has threatened to withdraw more troops from Italy and Spain 
over their stance on the war.

   Italy, a key logistics hub for U.S. and allied operations in the 
Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, could see its role affected if 
troop levels are reduced, raising concerns about NATO's posture in southern 
Europe.

   Defense cooperation was already tested in late March, when Italy declined to 
allow U.S. bombers bound for the Middle East to land at Sigonella base in 
Sicily without parliamentary approval.

   Italy's Constitution and treaties lay out the precise ways in which the 
bases can be used: They allow logistics and training operations within a NATO 
framework, but generally exclude direct offensive operations, such as bombing, 
unless specifically authorized.

   Meloni and Tajani have repeatedly said Italy doesn't want to participate in 
the Iran conflict, and that if the U.S. seeks permission to use Italian bases 
for offensive purposes, any decision must be approved by Parliament, where 
opposition to the war is strong.

   At stake for Rome are both its security partnership with Washington and the 
economic impact of the war. Meloni has warned the closure of the Strait of 
Hormuz is driving up energy costs and squeezing household purchasing power, 
while potential U.S. tariff threats have raised concerns for Italy's 
export-driven economy.

   Meloni is reeling from a referendum defeat in March and facing domestic 
opposition to the war, complicating her position.

   Since taking office in 2022, Meloni has sought to cast herself as a reliable 
U.S. ally and a bridge between Washington and Europe, but disputes over Iran 
and trade -- and her recent political setback -- have exposed the limits of the 
role.

   An attempt to de-escalate at the Vatican

   At the Vatican, Rubio held a 2-hour visit Thursday that included meetings 
with Leo and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, discussing 
"efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East" and other issues of 
mutual interest, according to the U.S. State Department.

   Both sides stressed that Rubio's meetings with Leo and the Vatican's top 
diplomat underscored strong bilateral ties.

   U.S. officials said the discussions highlighted "the strong relationship 
between the United States and the Holy See" and a shared commitment to 
promoting peace and human dignity.