ROME (Realist English). Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is engaged in a form of “diplomatic acrobatics,” seeking to simultaneously maintain strong ties with both Brussels and Washington, according to Arturo Varvelli, head of the Rome office at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). His assessment was published in a recent commentary for ECFR.
Varvelli argues that in the wake of Donald Trump’s re-election and deepening rifts within the European Union, Meloni is striving to keep “open doors” on both sides of the Atlantic, navigating internal pressures, trade frictions, and ideological divisions across Europe.
“Since her election in 2022, European leaders have struggled to clearly categorize Meloni’s political allegiance,” Varvelli notes. Initial fears surrounding her so-called “post-fascist” roots have subsided, thanks largely to her support for Ukraine and her close working relationship with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and former U.S. President Joe Biden.
Nonetheless, Varvelli stresses that Meloni’s visit to the White House under the new U.S. administration signals her effort to position herself within a potentially reconfigured global order centered around Washington. “Meloni is attempting to ride two horses at once — the European and the Atlantic — while ideological unity within the EU continues to fracture,” he writes.
Meloni’s strategy reflects a broader trend toward pragmatism among European leaders as transatlantic unity weakens and internal divisions within Europe deepen. Against the backdrop of growing global instability, Italy is seeking to minimize risks and preserve its strategic flexibility.
