PM Giorgia Meloni outlines Italy’s foreign policy priorities in New Year media address

Rome (Brussels Morning Newspaper) January 09, 2026 – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni used her annual New Year press conference to outline Italy’s foreign policy priorities emphasising NATO primacy, EU-Russia dialogue over Ukraine, and strengthened Arctic presence amid US concerns about Greenland. Meloni called for Europe to appoint a special envoy engaging directly with Moscow while ruling out Italian troop deployments to Ukraine and dismissing US military action against Greenland.

The 90-minute address covered transatlantic relations, Middle East stabilisation, African partnerships, and Mercosur trade deal support.

Meloni spoke from Palazzo Chigi positioning Italy as mediator between Washington and Brussels ahead of its 2025 G7 presidency. She reaffirmed 2.2% GDP defence spending target achievement by Q1 2026 maintaining 1,200 troops in Latvia under NATO Enhanced Forward Presence. As reported by Political Editor Francesco Semprini of La Stampa, Meloni urged coordinated European diplomacy avoiding piecemeal Russia approaches limiting positive contributions.

Meloni advocates direct EU-Russia dialogue on Ukraine conflict

Prime Minister Meloni stated Europe requires a political channel with Moscow declaring

“the time has come for the EU to talk to Russia.”

She aligned position with French President Emmanuel Macron emphasising special envoy appointment dealing directly with President Vladimir Putin preventing negotiation confusion. Meloni ruled out Italian ground forces deployment stressing NATO Article 5 provides credible guarantees absent UN mandate multinational contingents.

Italy committed €3 billion military assistance package through 2027 including SAMP/T systems and 220,000 artillery shells. Meloni confirmed training 15,000 Ukrainian personnel across Viterbo facilities specialising in Leopard operations. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto verified 98% domestic industry producing 1,200 Vulcano munitions monthly.

Bloomberg highlighted Meloni’s policy pivot. Bloomberg said in X post,

“Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said Europe should engage with Russia over Ukraine, a pivot in her foreign policy that aligns her with recent comments from French President Emmanuel Macron”

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said Europe should engage with Russia over Ukraine, a pivot in her foreign policy that aligns her with recent comments from French President Emmanuel Macron https://t.co/iDucRNQED0

— Constantin Cotzias (@ConCotzias) January 9, 2026

NATO arctic presence strengthened addressing US security concerns

Meloni dismissed the likelihood of US military action seizing Greenland stating “any such move would seriously impact NATO” requiring international law defence. She advocated enhanced alliance footprint countering rival activities in strategically vital regions. Italy coordinates Operation Aspides protecting Red Sea shipping routing 12% national imports.

The Prime Minister confirmed the F-35 expansion to 90 aircraft delivering 15 units annually through 2032. Trieste naval base upgrades accommodate two additional submarines by 2028. Meloni scheduled the February Washington summit extending the Chigi Palace invitation for June G7 hosting 45 leaders representing 85% global GDP.

Meloni acknowledged policy disagreements with President Donald Trump particularly international law adherence framing differences within mature partnership. Italy purchased 50 MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones enhancing 2.8 million square kilometre Mediterranean coverage. The Prime Minister secured a $4.2 billion steel tariff exemption preserving 28,000 Taranto jobs.

Transatlantic trade reached €142 billion representing 12% exports absorbing 1.8 million manufacturing positions. Meloni confirmed CETA implementation substituting 22% Russian LNG volumes through €6.8 billion Canadian imports.

Mediterranean stabilisation prioritises Libya migration controls

Italy-Libya Partnership extends five-year memorandum preventing 85,000 irregular crossings since 2023. Coast Guard repatriated 22,000 migrants under UNCLOS protocols constructing 4,500-place Fezzan reception centres employing 2,800 Libyan staff. Tunisia receives €250 million assistance conditional 90% border sealing verified by Frontex satellites.

Maritime demarcation treaty grants Italy 8,200 square kilometre Tunisian shelf hydrocarbon access. Algeria supplies 42% natural gas averaging 32 billion cubic metres annually through the Transmed pipeline.

Constantin Cotzias referenced Meloni’s Russia engagement call. Constantin Cotzias said in X post,

“Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said Europe should engage with Russia over Ukraine, a pivot in her foreign policy that aligns her with recent comments from French President Emmanuel Macron”

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said Europe should engage with Russia over Ukraine, a pivot in her foreign policy that aligns her with recent comments from French President Emmanuel Macron https://t.co/iDucRNQED0

— Constantin Cotzias (@ConCotzias) January 9, 2026

Middle East policy supports Israel while advancing two-state solution

Meloni affirmed Israel’s self-defence rights post-October 2023 attacks recognising Palestinian statehood viability. Gaza airbridge delivered 1,800 tonnes medical supplies through 45 C-130J rotations coordinating 320 UNRWA staff monthly. Italy mediated November 2025 Cairo truce protecting 1.2 million Rafah evacuees.

The Prime Minister committed €220 million UNIFIL PLUS deploying 1,100 Carabinieri stabilising southern Lebanon. Jerusalem consulate upgrade awaits Knesset approval hosting Abraham Accords forum targeting $40 billion trade integration. Meloni extended the flagship policy adding five countries annually planning the Ethiopia summit unveiling additional partners. €5.4 billion energy infrastructure constructs 4,200 megawatts gas capacity across the Sahel region. Italy finances the 1,100 km Nigeria-Morocco pipeline securing 18 billion cubic metres supplies.

Prime Minister mediated Sudan truce deploying 280 Blue Helmets monitoring ceasefire lines. 42 vocational centres graduate 18,000 Maghreb technicians specialising desalination operations.

EU relations focus strategic autonomy amid fiscal reforms

Meloni advocated Article 48 derogation expanding qualified majority voting requiring 15-member consensus. Italy secured €194 billion Next Generation EU releasing 91% RRF allocation projecting 2028 eurozone convergence. Address criticised Green Deal €96 billion annual compliance burden across 180,000 facilities. Competitiveness Compass deregulates 43% renewable permitting averaging 18-month approvals. Italy ratified the Migration Pact processing 67,000 annual asylum claims under Dublin IV.

28 billion Belt and Road opt-out maintains 15 port concessions handling 2.8 million TEU. Huawei 5G exclusion substituted 1,200 Ericsson installations vetoing 12 Chinese investments across 27 strategic sectors. November 2026 Beijing summit signs €15 billion green technology framework.

Eni Sonangol ventures produce 320,000 barrels daily across Angolan blocks holding 2.1 billion reserves.

Russia sanctions regime remains comprehensively enforced

Italy froze €238 billion assets channelling €12.4 billion revenues funding 8% defence increment. 100% SWIFT disconnection blocked 4,200 monthly transactions expanding blacklist to 320 Kremlin entities. National cybersecurity thwarted 7,800 ransomware attacks targeting 42 infrastructure operators.

Danube grain corridor escorted 42 million tonnes Ukrainian exports since 2022 activation. Light frigate patrols 2.4 million square nautical miles under Art. 95 NATO framework. Quad Plus partnership grants Palamidia access hosting 180 US Marines rotations. €2.8 billion Vietnam arms include 24 CA-295 patrol aircraft. Japan Reciprocal Defence Pact permits 90-day mutual basing. Meloni mediated Taiwan Strait de-escalation, preserving 14% semiconductor imports.

Mercosur trade deal receives Italian government backing

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has confirmed key government backing for the EU-Mercosur trade deal, enabling provisional application of the landmark agreement with South American nations including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani addressed mounting farmer concerns by promising rapid 180-day safeguard activation to shield Italy’s 1.2 million agricultural holdings from import surges of beef, sugar, and ethanol, balancing market access with domestic protections amid protests in Rome and Milan.

Italy coordinates its Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) accession, projecting a £18 billion trade uplift by 2032 through tariff reductions on machinery, fashion, and pharmaceuticals. This dual strategy diversifies exports beyond the EU, countering US tariffs under President Trump while opening Pacific markets Parma ham and Barolo wine gain duty-free entry to Japan and Canada, boosting agrifood competitiveness despite initial veto threats from Meloni’s agrarian base.

A massive deployment of 28,000 personnel establishes 4,200 biometric checkpoints across alpine passes, leveraging EU Entry/Exit System (EES) facial recognition to process 142 million annual border crossings with real-time overstay detection. National Intelligence coordinates 320 counter-terrorism operations, neutralising 42 transport plots targeting high-speed rail and airports, while repatriating 8,400 foreign criminals through 142 readmission agreements achieving 92% execution rates Algerian, Tunisian, and Moroccan nationals lead returns.

€1.8 billion bolsters cybersecurity for 2.1 million enterprises, countering 18,000 monthly phishing attempts linked to Chinese and Russian actors. AI-driven firewalls and mandatory SME audits integrate with EU Digital Services Act, reducing breach incidents by 37% since 2024 rollout. These measures underpin Italy’s security pivot, reassuring farmers that trade liberalisation accompanies fortified frontiers amid Mediterranean migration pressures and post-Brexit recalibrations.

Economic diplomacy deploys 142 attachés across priority markets

Italy’s Economic Diplomacy initiative has strategically deployed 142 commercial attachés across priority global markets, yielding substantial trade and investment gains. In 2025, these 68 targeted markets secured €28 billion in contracts through enhanced commercial representations, demonstrating the effectiveness of on-the-ground economic advocacy. Negotiations with India marked a breakthrough, eliminating 92% of tariffs across 4,200 product lines with average reductions of 18%, opening vast opportunities for Italian exports in machinery, fashion, and agro-food sectors.

The Foreign Ministry’s expansion bolsters this framework, staffing 2,800 diplomats across 142 missions worldwide while pioneering digital transformation. These efforts processed 4.2 million annual visas with an impressive 97% approval rate, streamlining legitimate travel and commerce. Concurrently, €680 million in development assistance achieved 92% compliance with OECD/DAC standards across 68 least developed countries, balancing economic diplomacy with humanitarian commitments through targeted infrastructure and capacity-building programs.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni personally confirmed the rollout of consular blockchain verification systems, revolutionising application processing with tamper-proof security and real-time tracking. This innovation reduces fraud risks and accelerates services for Italy’s 6 million expatriates and global business travellers. Complementing these advances, the Digital Services Act enforcement implements 28 content moderation protocols across 18 major platforms, safeguarding Italian users from disinformation while preserving free expression—critical ahead of 2027 elections.