Tajani and Rubio Discuss Tariffs, Ukraine, and Middle East in Productive Talks
Washington: Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reported “very positive” discussions with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on tariffs, Ukraine, and the Middle East, including Gaza and Iran. The meeting took place in Washington on Tuesday.
According to Ansa News Agency, Tajani expressed mutual understanding with Rubio on several international issues. He emphasized support for American efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine, highlighting President Trump’s message to Putin that attacks against civilians must cease. Tajani called for swift agreement to address the conflict.
On the Middle East, both parties agreed on a ceasefire in Palestine and Gaza to facilitate aid to civilians. They shared a common perspective on the Indo-Pacific situation. Regarding tariffs, Tajani described transatlantic relations as positive and mentioned ongoing efforts to reach an agreement, noting that Rubio is not responsible for the negotiations. He stressed the importance of avoiding a tariff war, which would be detrimental to exporters.
Tajani highlighted the urgency to expedite tariff negotiations, acknowledging the challenges exporters face due to uncertainty. He emphasized the need for a compromise, expressing appreciation for the European Union’s decision to suspend countermeasures until August 1st. Tajani, also serving as deputy premier, expressed gratitude to Rubio on X for the warm welcome and reaffirmed the strong Italy-U.S. alliance.
The Farnesina, Italy’s foreign ministry, noted that discussions on Ukraine followed President Trump’s announcement to sell missiles to NATO for Kyiv. Additionally, Tajani met with Trump’s special adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos, focusing on Libya.
United States State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Rubio and Tajani discussed the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and priorities on China and Latin America. They reviewed the Israel-Iran ceasefire and discussed preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.