Giorgia Meloni defies the European Union and travels to the US to negotiate her own trade agreement

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrives in Washington to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement with the US, challenging the EU's common foreign trade policy.

Apr 18, 2025 - 20:15

Giorgia Meloni defies the European Union and travels to the US to negotiate her own trade agreement

Donald Trump y Giorgia Meloni, este jueves en la Casa Blanca. Foto: ZUMA vía Europa Press | Vídeo: epv

Washington D.C. — In a move that openly defies the norms established by the European Union, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni landed in Washington on Thursday to begin direct talks with the US administration on a bilateral trade agreement exclusive to Italy.

The visit, which has not been coordinated with Brussels, is raising tensions within the European bloc, which maintains a common foreign trade policy. Sources close to Palazzo Chigi affirm that Meloni seeks to "protect Italy's strategic and economic interests in a changing global context."

"Italy has the right to defend its industry, its agri-food sector, and its economic sovereignty," Meloni declared before boarding for the United States. "We are not here to confront, we are here to build."

The trip includes meetings with representatives of the US Department of Commerce, business chambers, and possibly an informal audience with former President Donald Trump, of whom Meloni is considered a political ally.

The potential agreement would cover key issues such as energy, industrial products, agricultural exports, and technology, and could open a new era of bilateral relations between Rome and Washington.

From Brussels, the reaction has been swift. European Commission sources warned that Italy cannot sign trade agreements outside the EU framework, and that any bilateral negotiations without coordination are "incompatible with the EU treaties."

Political analysts consider this move to represent a further demonstration of Meloni's nationalist leadership, who has repeatedly criticized what he calls "Brussels' bureaucratic rigidity" and called for greater autonomy for member states.

This trip could mark a turning point in Italy's foreign policy and in internal tensions within the European Union, especially if other countries choose to follow the same path.