The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has embarked on a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, amid heightened tensions in the Gulf and concerns about energy supplies.
Upon arriving in Jeddah, Giorgia Meloni is scheduled to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. She thus becomes the first European Union leader to visit Saudi Arabia since the start of the Iran-Iraq War, highlighting the strategic importance of this trip.
According to government sources, this visit aims to demonstrate Italy's support for its Gulf partners in the face of regional tensions, but also to secure its energy supplies, as rising fuel prices weigh on the Italian economy.
Rome also intends to strengthen its economic cooperation with the Gulf countries. Italy is expected to confirm the commitment of its major energy companies, including the Eni group, to continue their investments in the region.
Meanwhile, the Italian government is exploring other avenues to diversify its sources of supply, including requesting more gas from Algeria and preparing a trip to Azerbaijan.
Italy already supplies defensive equipment to some Gulf countries and says it is ready to consider new requests in this area, in a context of security threats linked to the conflict with Iran.
This trip illustrates Rome's desire to play an active role on the international stage while protecting its energy interests, in a period marked by strong geopolitical uncertainties.
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