Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Rome will continue providing military assistance to Ukraine, with Defence Minister Guido Crosetto currently assessing the next steps, she told reporters at a press conference concluding the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday.
Meloni also announced that Italy's defence spending has reached 2.8 percent of GDP and expressed deep concern over the situation surrounding Iran, saying she still holds out hope for negotiations. She said she does not regret investing politically in ties with the White House, despite President Donald Trump's public criticism of Italy in recent days over its refusal to support U.S. operations related to the Strait of Hormuz. Asked about a social media post Trump shared mocking her, Meloni said she would not revisit the matter.
The summit marked Meloni's first face-to-face encounter with Trump since the dispute erupted earlier this week.