Rome-Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni meets EU chiefs in Brussels on Thursday for the first time since her election, with the energy crisis expected to dominate the agenda.
Nationalist Meloni has vowed to put Italy’s interests first, and the trip will be closely watched amid fears of turbulent relations ahead between Meloni’s populist government in Rome and the bloc’s powerhouses. “The voice of Italy in Europe will be strong: we are ready to confront the big questions, starting with the energy crisis, working together for a solution to help families and businesses to halt speculation,” Meloni tweeted on Thursday.