US President Donald Trump believes that Italy should make its own decisions about the possibility of sending its military contingent to Ukraine as a peacekeeping mission.
„Peacekeeping missions are always good in my opinion. "I am not against peacekeeping missions," he added to reporters at the White House before meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni.
The Italian prime minister said after the conversation with the US president that Trump had accepted an invitation to visit Rome.
She noted that issues of mutual interest were discussed during the talks.
"Italy must increase energy imports, Italian companies are investing 10 billion euros in the US," the prime minister said. Meloni pointed out that the issue of a new ceiling on military spending was not raised, but Italy has committed to spending 2% of GDP, in line with previous commitments.
Italy and the US are working to achieve a "just peace" in Ukraine and Rome supports the Trump administration's efforts in this direction, Meloni said.
For his part, Trump said he expects progress to be made in concluding trade agreements with other countries. He added, however, that he is "in no hurry" to conclude such deals, since the tariffs he has imposed generate significant revenue, the Associated Press reported, BTA reported.
He expressed "100 percent confidence" in reaching a trade agreement on the ongoing customs dispute with the EU.
"We will have no problem making a deal with Europe or with anyone else, because we have something that everyone wants," the US president said, quoted by Reuters.
For his part, Meloni said that she was "confident they will make a deal" regarding tariffs, Reuters notes.
"We have a very good relationship together and as countries," Trump said.