Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday rejected opposition claims that Italy was “kowtowing” to Washington by attending the inaugural meeting of Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace for Gaza and other conflicts.
Tajani, who also serves as deputy prime minister, attended the meeting in Washington as an observer. He said Italy’s presence was consistent with its role as a major Mediterranean country and aligned with broader European participation.
“Italy is a large Mediterranean country, and the fact that a majority of European Union countries, plus the European Commission, and non-EU European countries like Great Britain were present today means that Europe is paying attention, which is not an Italian whim,” Tajani said.
Transatlantic ties and European coordination
Tajani stressed that Rome’s attendance reflected its commitment to transatlantic relations. “We believe in transatlantic relations, and the relationship is with the United States,” he said. He further cautioned against judging bilateral ties based on which administration is in power in Washington.
He also said he was “in perfect harmony” with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but insisted that cooperation did not mean automatic alignment. “If we agree, we say we agree, but if we don’t, we say so,” he added, citing Greenland as an example of a point of divergence.
According to Tajani, Italy would have risked diplomatic isolation had it declined to attend while most EU member states and the European Commission were present. “We would have been isolated if we hadn’t gone there,” he said, dismissing criticism from the Left as unfounded.
Opposition accuses government of ‘neo-feudalism’
Opposition parties renewed their attacks on the Meloni government’s participation in the Washington meeting. Critics argue that the Board of Peace, established at Trump’s initiative, is a private body that risks undermining the role of the United Nations in conflict resolution.
Angelo Bonelli, co-leader of the Green-Left Alliance (AVS), accused the government of “bowing” to what he described as a “shameful real estate board” led by Trump. Bonelli claimed the initiative was created outside international law and alleged that its objectives included real estate speculation in Gaza.
He criticised the Board’s statute, which reportedly mandates it to address conflicts worldwide and provides for Trump to lead it indefinitely. “We are in neo-feudalism, and Italy has sworn allegiance to sovereign Trump,” Bonelli said, arguing that Rome had ignored a united opposition request not to participate.
Bonelli also accused the government of marginalising the Palestinian cause and failing to hold the Israeli leadership accountable, in reference to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Debate over multilateralism
The dispute reflects broader tensions in Italian politics over foreign policy direction and the balance between traditional multilateral frameworks and emerging diplomatic initiatives.
While Tajani maintains that Italy’s participation ensures it has a voice in discussions on Gaza and other global conflicts, critics warn that engagement with bodies perceived as outside the UN system could weaken established international mechanisms.
For now, the Meloni government appears determined to defend its decision, framing it as pragmatic diplomacy rather than ideological alignment.
