Tariffs loom as Meloni visits Trump

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will look to build on her warm relationship with United States President Donald Trump when she visits the White House on Thursday.

Meloni, who leads Italy's far-right Brothers of Italy party, is closely aligned to Trump politically and will want to parlay that into tangible benefits for her country, the Bloomberg news agency has reported.

She will also be seeking some long-term relief from US tariffs for the 27-nation European Union, of which her country is a high-pro-file member, and, if she fails to get assurances on Thursday over tariffs, will likely press for a commitment from Trump to participate in a future US-EU summit on the issue.

Experts expect Trump and Meloni to also discuss defense, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Sources claim Meloni and her advisors have been preparing for the meeting since January.

Her visit follows a similar one made days earlier by Maros Sefcovic, an EU trade commissioner, who met with senior officials but did not leave with a commitment that tariffs on imports from the EU would be lowered.

Ahead of her trip, Meloni told reporters: "We know that we are in a difficult moment. I am certainly aware of what I represent and what I am defending."

While many in Brussels are hoping Meloni will emerge as a much-needed conduit between the EU and the US at a time when Washington has made no secret of its disdain for Europe, Meloni has been careful to play down the chances of her bringing the two sides together.

While tariffs are sure to be high on her agenda, the issue has become less pressing since the EU paused it plan to implement retaliatory tariffs on steel and aluminum, and after Trump announced a 90-day suspension of the 20-percent tariff he planned to impose on imports from the EU.

The Reuters news agency said a draft speech it has seen suggests Meloni will champion a European Commission proposal for zero tariffs between the two sides.

The German news agency Deutsche Welle quoted Leo Goretti, head of the Italian foreign policy program at the Italian international relations think tank Institute of International Affairs, as saying Meloni will walk a difficult line in Washington but ultimately put the EU's interests ahead of her friendship with Trump.

"However close ideologically she may be to Trump, she can't align with the US against Brussels," Goretti said, noting the bloc's single market is far more lucrative for Italy than the US market.

Meloni, who was the only European leader at Trump's inauguration in January and who Trump hosted at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and called a "fantastic woman", will continue her charm offensive when she flies home on Friday and hosts Vice-President JD Vance in Italy.