The strains of Italian meloni to maintain its coalition together on the rearmament Ukraine and EU – Politico

While France has “always had a cold relationship with the United States … No Italian government has never questioned the relationship with the United States in defense,” Italian general Leonardo Tricarico told Politico, who was a military advisor to several prime ministers.

After the defeat of Italy during the Second World War, added the person quoted above: “We have learned forever that there is no room for us as a global superpower. We can play a role all over the world, but we can only do it if we are with the United States, we must also do it within the EU-but not only In the EU. “A transatlantic break would also make more difficult for Europe and the United States to attack China,” added the official.

The allies are apparently already aware of the discomfort of Italy. In an interview with the first Italian daily Corriere Della will be during the weekend, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen sought to reassure Rome that her main defense company, Leonardo, would “greatly” benefit from the thrust of defense expenses and play an important role in a Europe back. In addition to that, the latest update of the EU rearmament plans – which includes provisions for the financing of the private sector – will already in a way will appease the concerns of Rome.

But none of this is likely to fully reassure Meloni. In the opinion of Stefano Stefanini, a former Italian diplomat and NATO ambassador, Meloni’s actions also reflect a faith, perhaps moved, that the transatlantic alliance can still be saved and that his disappearance has been exaggerated. The center-left legislator and former Minister of European Affairs, Enzo Amendola, said, telling Politico that the Prime Minister’s reconciliation efforts would leave Italy in a “no man’s land between the EU and the United States”

Nevertheless, it is a point of view shared by the Italians through the political spectrum. “I doubt that there will be a complete break between the United States and the European Union,” said Danilo Della Valle, a deputy deputy for the 5Star movement on the left. The European reset is, after all, what Trump asks, he added.

One of the people familiar with government thought went so far as to say that tensions with the United States were exploited by opportunistic French and German leaders-and that a rearmed Germany was actually more dangerous than Russia or the United States