Europe nervous before Meloni's meeting with Trump
Italy’s leader may not be the top pick for the EU to engage with Trump. However, she could be their sole option.
TroibNews 
Top European officials are feeling uneasy about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's upcoming trip to Washington to meet President Donald Trump on Thursday, as trade discussions hang in the balance.
Yet, they also recognize that Meloni could be their best opportunity to alleviate transatlantic tensions.
With connections to Italy’s far-right and a recent shift toward the center in her interactions with European Union partners, Meloni is seen as uniquely equipped to engage with Trump in a constructive manner for both her country and Europe at large, according to experts. Her colleagues in the EU are hopeful she will encourage Trump toward a trade agreement to prevent further retaliatory tariffs and to impact his stance on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“There’s a lot of nervousness in Brussels and other European capitals about what Meloni is trying to do,” stated Jeremy Shapiro, a former State Department official under the Obama administration. “But they’re desperate enough, they’re not trying to stop her.”
Trump, who invited Meloni to his inauguration and has praised her as “a wonderful person,” has consistently emphasized personal relationships in his diplomatic approach. While his aides are prepared to discuss various issues, Trump views the meeting as a testament to his assertion that his tariffs have prompted other leaders to come to him, as noted by a White House official who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking publicly.
This perspective is troubling for European officials, especially following Trump’s recent statement that “countries are calling us up, kissing my ass” right after he paused his broader tariff initiatives.
Meloni's relationship with Trump has fueled mistrust among European allies, who fear she might convey a message that departs significantly from what leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would communicate.
“She’s seen as a transatlanticist, but also has a shared world view, especially on the domestic front, as Trump and his team,” explained Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center. “They get along, she and Elon Musk get along. I think that means she can speak a Trumpian sort of language that many other European leaders simply can’t.”
EU leaders have struggled to secure their own meetings with Trump. Some have raised concerns about diplomatic freelancing potentially exacerbating existing divisions within the delicate coalition of 27 member states, according to an EU official not authorized to speak publicly.
They are apprehensive that any tariff exemptions granted to Italy could undermine the collective leverage of the EU in trade negotiations. Meloni has been in touch with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to ensure her messaging aligns with EU interests, as confirmed by her office this week.
Although Meloni has aligned more closely with fellow Europeans in supporting Ukraine than many anticipated, the war's repercussions on Italy’s economy and her domestic political landscape have led some in Brussels to question the durability of her support for Ukraine.
“She’s been a brilliant balancer of competing pressures and has not alienated anybody, so there’s some lease that she has,” commented Shapiro, who now serves as the director of research at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. “And she’s been a lot tougher on Russia than people thought she would be. But given the Italian politics, there are some fears that she may quietly tell Trump they won’t oppose him if he relieves sanctions on Russia; and if that happens, the European sanctions front basically deteriorates.”
European leaders have had little success in persuading Trump against direct engagement with Russia or in influencing his desire to conclude the war swiftly. If Meloni intends to address the war with Trump, she might choose to do so once the cameras have left the Oval Office.
This approach would enable Trump to showcase that, despite his and Vice President JD Vance’s criticisms of Europe, he maintains cordial relationships with several leaders.
“I don’t think the EU is part of the president’s calculation when speaking with European leaders,” remarked a White House official not authorized to discuss strategy publicly. “He views the EU as ripping off the United States. However, he has maintained positive and close relationships with the leaders of these individual countries. He doesn't lump them all together, and he has a strong interpersonal relationship with Meloni.”
This personal connection may allow Meloni to facilitate a trade détente between Trump and the EU. Her meeting is scheduled just days after Maroš Šefčovic, the EU’s trade commissioner, gathered in Washington with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
As reported by two administration officials who are not authorized to speak publicly, Meloni will partake in the traditional ceremonial elements of a leader's visit, including an Oval Office sit-down beside Trump, before a select group of journalists. This format has replaced more formal press conferences and allows visiting leaders to flatter Trump and manage questions skillfully, potentially setting a cooperative tone for subsequent discussions.
Whether Meloni can persuade Trump to consider the deal proposed by Šefčovic, which aims to eliminate tariffs between the U.S. and the EU, is yet to be determined. However, the timing of her visit, coinciding with Trump’s focus on securing deals and navigating the tariff situation with Beijing, might work to her advantage.
Trump has not invited von der Leyen for a meeting, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio called off a meeting with Kaja Kallas, the former Estonian prime minister who now serves as the EU’s top diplomat, during her visit to Washington earlier this year.
This has led leaders like Meloni to pursue direct engagement with the White House. Demonstrating her eagerness, Meloni will return to Rome immediately after her Washington visit to host Vance, a staunch critic of the EU, for a state visit on Friday.
However, friendly encounters with European leaders at the White House have had minimal impact on curbing Trump’s confrontational actions toward the EU, such as imposing temporary tariffs on all European imports or bypassing allies to restart direct talks with Russia unconditionally.
While tariffs are currently suspended, alongside the EU’s counter-tariffs approved by Brussels lawmakers, there’s growing anxiety that Trump’s preference for engaging with specific European heads of state — rather than the EU as a collective — may not lessen his critical views on the EU overall. Meloni might find herself benefitting from this dynamic, but it remains unclear how her EU counterparts will fare.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
Yet, they also recognize that Meloni could be their best opportunity to alleviate transatlantic tensions.
With connections to Italy’s far-right and a recent shift toward the center in her interactions with European Union partners, Meloni is seen as uniquely equipped to engage with Trump in a constructive manner for both her country and Europe at large, according to experts. Her colleagues in the EU are hopeful she will encourage Trump toward a trade agreement to prevent further retaliatory tariffs and to impact his stance on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“There’s a lot of nervousness in Brussels and other European capitals about what Meloni is trying to do,” stated Jeremy Shapiro, a former State Department official under the Obama administration. “But they’re desperate enough, they’re not trying to stop her.”
Trump, who invited Meloni to his inauguration and has praised her as “a wonderful person,” has consistently emphasized personal relationships in his diplomatic approach. While his aides are prepared to discuss various issues, Trump views the meeting as a testament to his assertion that his tariffs have prompted other leaders to come to him, as noted by a White House official who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking publicly.
This perspective is troubling for European officials, especially following Trump’s recent statement that “countries are calling us up, kissing my ass” right after he paused his broader tariff initiatives.
Meloni's relationship with Trump has fueled mistrust among European allies, who fear she might convey a message that departs significantly from what leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would communicate.
“She’s seen as a transatlanticist, but also has a shared world view, especially on the domestic front, as Trump and his team,” explained Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center. “They get along, she and Elon Musk get along. I think that means she can speak a Trumpian sort of language that many other European leaders simply can’t.”
EU leaders have struggled to secure their own meetings with Trump. Some have raised concerns about diplomatic freelancing potentially exacerbating existing divisions within the delicate coalition of 27 member states, according to an EU official not authorized to speak publicly.
They are apprehensive that any tariff exemptions granted to Italy could undermine the collective leverage of the EU in trade negotiations. Meloni has been in touch with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to ensure her messaging aligns with EU interests, as confirmed by her office this week.
Although Meloni has aligned more closely with fellow Europeans in supporting Ukraine than many anticipated, the war's repercussions on Italy’s economy and her domestic political landscape have led some in Brussels to question the durability of her support for Ukraine.
“She’s been a brilliant balancer of competing pressures and has not alienated anybody, so there’s some lease that she has,” commented Shapiro, who now serves as the director of research at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. “And she’s been a lot tougher on Russia than people thought she would be. But given the Italian politics, there are some fears that she may quietly tell Trump they won’t oppose him if he relieves sanctions on Russia; and if that happens, the European sanctions front basically deteriorates.”
European leaders have had little success in persuading Trump against direct engagement with Russia or in influencing his desire to conclude the war swiftly. If Meloni intends to address the war with Trump, she might choose to do so once the cameras have left the Oval Office.
This approach would enable Trump to showcase that, despite his and Vice President JD Vance’s criticisms of Europe, he maintains cordial relationships with several leaders.
“I don’t think the EU is part of the president’s calculation when speaking with European leaders,” remarked a White House official not authorized to discuss strategy publicly. “He views the EU as ripping off the United States. However, he has maintained positive and close relationships with the leaders of these individual countries. He doesn't lump them all together, and he has a strong interpersonal relationship with Meloni.”
This personal connection may allow Meloni to facilitate a trade détente between Trump and the EU. Her meeting is scheduled just days after Maroš Šefčovic, the EU’s trade commissioner, gathered in Washington with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
As reported by two administration officials who are not authorized to speak publicly, Meloni will partake in the traditional ceremonial elements of a leader's visit, including an Oval Office sit-down beside Trump, before a select group of journalists. This format has replaced more formal press conferences and allows visiting leaders to flatter Trump and manage questions skillfully, potentially setting a cooperative tone for subsequent discussions.
Whether Meloni can persuade Trump to consider the deal proposed by Šefčovic, which aims to eliminate tariffs between the U.S. and the EU, is yet to be determined. However, the timing of her visit, coinciding with Trump’s focus on securing deals and navigating the tariff situation with Beijing, might work to her advantage.
Trump has not invited von der Leyen for a meeting, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio called off a meeting with Kaja Kallas, the former Estonian prime minister who now serves as the EU’s top diplomat, during her visit to Washington earlier this year.
This has led leaders like Meloni to pursue direct engagement with the White House. Demonstrating her eagerness, Meloni will return to Rome immediately after her Washington visit to host Vance, a staunch critic of the EU, for a state visit on Friday.
However, friendly encounters with European leaders at the White House have had minimal impact on curbing Trump’s confrontational actions toward the EU, such as imposing temporary tariffs on all European imports or bypassing allies to restart direct talks with Russia unconditionally.
While tariffs are currently suspended, alongside the EU’s counter-tariffs approved by Brussels lawmakers, there’s growing anxiety that Trump’s preference for engaging with specific European heads of state — rather than the EU as a collective — may not lessen his critical views on the EU overall. Meloni might find herself benefitting from this dynamic, but it remains unclear how her EU counterparts will fare.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
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