Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. The meeting addressed the main topics of the summit, aiming to enhance bilateral coordination within the Atlantic alliance, particularly concerning the southern flank, in addition to the latest issues in the international context.
A statement from the Palazzo Chigi (the Italian government's headquarters) mentioned: "The meeting discussed the mutual desire to continue developing political, economic, and trade relations, as well as cooperation on migration issues," according to the Italian site "Decode 39."
During the first day of the coalition leaders' summit, Meloni emphasized that "Italy cannot be left alone in defending the southern flank of the alliance." She added, "If we are on the front lines defending our Eastern allies, we cannot be left alone in defending the southern flank; this is equally essential in the context of the hybrid and global threats we face." She continued, "Our presence in almost all NATO missions and operations makes Italy one of the alliance's foremost contributors."
